Academy for Vampires
by VAlover10
Summary: Imagine our favourite couple are not Dhampirs. In this version, there is only one type of vampire, the stereotypical Count Dracula style Vampire that does Wear black capes, turn into bats and sleep in coffins. Rose is in her final year at the academy, but a lot can happen in a year. Follow Rose as she battles slayers and other Evils strong enough to scare the fearless Rose Hathaway
1. Chapter 1

My eyes shot open as the blaring sound of my alarm clock pierced my eardrums. I threw open the lit of my coffin and brought my hand down on the flashing snooze button, smashing the annoying little box into a thousand pieces. Oops. Sometimes my strength even surprises me. Day one back at school and I have already destroyed my alarm clock. Maybe I'll beat last year's record of nineteen. I rubbed my eyes in frustration knowing there was no chance of getting back to sleep. In an instant, I was out of bed and in the bathroom. Super speed was not prohibited on school grounds, but that had never stopped me.

I was dressed and ready within seconds, wearing a red mini skirt and strapless black shirt. My hair was left out in it's long dark natural waves and my makeup was kept mostly natural except for the blood red lipstick eyeliner that brought out the red iris surrounded by dark brown. I smiled in approval. Even though I could not see my reflection in the mirror, I knew I looked good. My waist was small and my wide hips made it look even smaller. My bust was bigger than every girls was in my year. I knew they were jealous and I loved it. Make the guys want you and the girls want to be you. I tossed my hair once before slipping on my ankle boots and zooming out the door. I loved the feeling of using my super speed. The cool wind on my bare skin was calming as I ran down the corridors. I was almost there when a dark figure stepped out blocking my path. I slowed quickly, stopping myself just before I ran into him face first.

"Miss Hathaway, day one and you are already breaking school rules." I stood back and looked up at him with an innocent smile showing my fangs.

"Well, you know me Stanny boy, I'm always looking for trouble," I said folding my arms across my chest.

"It seems trouble has found you. Detention, Miss Hathaway, come to my office after school. I don't suppose you need directions?"

"Nope. I'll be there." I said and as he turned to walk down the hall, I took off again using my super speed.

"Hathaway!" Stan called from behind me. I laughed as I made it to my best friends room. I knocked on the polished wood and soon, the door opened. Lissa stood in the doorway wearing a white lace dress with her hair styled in perfect blonde ringlets. She looked more angel than vampire; she acted more like one too.

"You're here early," she stated when she saw me. I shrugged walking into her room.

"I was awoken by a rather annoying familiar enemy," I joked and fell back onto her bed.

"You broke you alarm clock already?"

"Hey, don't blame me, blame my alarm. It was playing the most annoying song. I swear I was about to tear my own ears off," I said groaning and bringing a pillow down on my face. Lissa laughed.

"Why don't you just use your phone?"

"Because I'd rather not smash my phone. I actually need that." She laughed again and I could not help but smile as I watched her. I had not heard her laugh much since her parents and brother died in a slayers massacre in their summerhouse. Lissa and I were supposed to be there with them but flights were cancelled leaving us at the academy for another night. It was strange to think, if we had gotten on that plane, we would be a pile of ash with the others. Lissa recovered and her smile fell when she saw my face.

"What?" She asked tilting her head.

"Nothing, I'm just hungry. Wanna head over to the feeders?" I asked. She nodded enthusiastically and we made our way to the feeding room.

Humans lined the room with their eyes closed as their bodies were recovering from the previous day high on vampire venom. We aren't monsters but we do need blood to survive. The real monsters were the Dark Bloods, vampires addicted to the rush they got from drinking human blood. Their addictions took control of them, changing them into the true bloodsucking monsters of all myths and legends. The rest of us chose a more peaceful way to live. We don't stalk humans in dark alleyways to drain and kill them. No, we have feeders. Each day we are given a small amount of blood to clench our thirst and keep us strong. There is no way I would ever consider joining the Dark Bloods, but sometimes, the craving for blood is so strong, it is all I can think about. Lissa and I sign our names down on the clipboard and walk into our rooms where our feeder waits. Without hesitation, I bite down on the bruised and bitten skin. The human girl sighs in pleasure as my venom floods her body. I feel the tap on my shoulder too soon and will myself to stop releasing my fangs from the human. Outside, Lissa waits with a drop of her in the corner of her mouth.

"Um… Liss…you have a little something," I whispered tapping my mouth. Her cheeks turn pink as she quickly wipes the blood away.

"I hate not having a reflection anymore," she whispered and I shrugged.

"Well, we do in the Blood crystal mirrors the Academy gave us."

"Yeah, I'll just have to bring my entire vanity down next time I come for a feed," she said sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

Full vampires are born without any powers and grow up developing with age and learning at schools. A slayer staked my mother when I was just a baby. My aunt found me and brought me here. The academy was the only home I can remember and yet I cannot wait to be free. I grew up raised by the teachers and had a very close relationship with most of them. They taught me some tricks when I was young, which put me far ahead of every other young vampire when school started. I met Lissa on the first day of kindergarten when a boy pulled her hair and teased her for not developing her full fangs yet. I swooped in with my speed and pushed him into a tree causing him to break his arm. He healed quickly but Lissa and I got detention for a month, which only brought us closer. Even from a young age, I wasn't scared to step in. Lissa and I have been inseparable ever since. The bell rang bringing me back from my thoughts.

"What have you got first?" I asked. Lissa brought out her new timetable and scanned through.

"Hypnotism," she said.

"Lucky, I have shape-shifting." While there were a lot of things I excelled in, like super speed and strength, there were others where I was way behind. Shape shifting was my worst subject.

"You'll be fine," she said trying to give me some encouragement. I snorted.

"Sure." Every time I tried to shapeshift, it always failed, ending with everyone laughing. Everyone in my class was miles ahead of me transforming into bats and wolves with ease. Transforming into a bat was supposed to be the easiest even though I have only done it once.

"You will," she said pulling a hand on my shoulder. I gave her a half smile.

"Thanks."

"Good luck," she said and we parted ways.

I made it to class just as Alberta finished writing on the board. Mason spotted me instantly waving at me and tapping the desk next to his. Mason was my closest friend after Lissa. We had a lot in common as his father was staked before he was born, though he still had a mother to go home to in the holidays. I laughed to myself as I walked through the door and took my seat. Mason beamed excitedly and I responded with a smirk. I had my suspicions that Mason liked me more than just a friend, but I never asked him. I didn't want to ruin the friendship. Sadly that was all I saw him as. He was nice, funny and good-looking, with thick flaming red hair that swept across his face and muscle in all the right places, but to me, he was like a brother.

"Hey Mase," I whispered just as Alberta turned around and the class began.

"Alright everyone, today we will be learning to do a combination transformation. You will need this for the end of term exam and real life. Imagine running through the woods to get away from slayers, the sun is rising and you don't have enough energy to super speed. What do you do?" Mason was first to raise his hand. He was almost jumping out of his seat to get Alberta's attention. I could see the amusement in Alberta's eyes at the enthusiastic student as she nodded to him.

"Transform into a wolf." The words left his mouth so quickly that I almost missed them.

"Why?"

"Because the sun can't burn when you're a wolf," he said quieter.

"Good. Now, you are running but the slayers are catching up to you, you reach a river fill of running water. What do you do?" A small girl raised her hand and spoke so quietly I never would have heard it if I didn't have enhanced senses.

"Cross the river."

"Even as a wolf pure running water burns," said Alberta. The class was silent except for the whispers of what the answer could be. I looked around the room and slowly raised my hand.

"Turn into a bat," I answered. Alberta looked surprised to see me give an answer. Usually, I like to keep to myself more watching than contributing.

"Yes, flying will get you across. Good." She smiled at me proudly. Alberta had been the one to take care of me while I was growing up. Of all the teachers, she was the one I was closest to. "Now grab a partner and try transforming into a wolf and then into a bat without transitioning into your natural state." Before I could move, Mason grabbed my hand and walked my to a corner at the back of a room. I could feel my nerves taking over my body as my classmates easily shirted into wolves. Mason stared up at me in his wolf form. His blazing red fur made him easy to identify. He gave me a questioning look and I took a deep breath before closing my eyes and focusing on everything Alberta had told me. I imagined the feeling of being a wolf, what it would feel like, what I would see and what I would smell. Transforming into a wolf was easier for me; I had managed to do it a few times and was starting to do it quicker. I felt my bones shift as I lowered to the ground on all fours. Claws grew from my fingers as my hands transformed into paws. The transformation followed through my body until I was fully shifted into a dark brown wolf. Our fully shifted forms looked so realistic except for the glowing red eyes that stayed the same.

One by one, each person tried to transform straight into a bat. It was and because you need height to transform. Some failed to transform back into their normal selves while others succeeded leaping into the air and instantly shifting into a bat. Mason, of course, shifted with ease. I closed my eyes concentrating on turning into a bat but nothing would happen. I opened my eyes to see I was the only one left on the ground as all my classmates were now hanging upside down on the ceiling fan watching me with their beady red eyes. Albert approached me, calmly trying to talk me through it as she always did. I tried to focus but all I could think of was the judging glare of my classmates from above. With one last try, I leapt up. I could feel a shift. I opened my eyes and looked down to find me in my normal form. I looked up to see everyone had shifted back to normal and were all watching me. A wave of relief swept over me as I noticed they weren't laughing, but that feeling vanished when I heard the first snigger and the entire class erupted. I turned to Mason, who was doing his best to suppress a laugh. I gave him a questioning glare and he pointed to the top of my head. I patted my head and felt the two thin pointed ears. I sighed as Alberta approached me again and instructed me on how to change back to normal.

When the bell rang, I ran out of class trying to avoid any further humiliation. Lissa found me at my locker and with one look she knew something happened.

"What happened?" she asked calmly.

"Another half shift transformation incident." I laughed pointing to the place where the ears were only moments ago.

"Hey, it will be okay. You'll get better with practice. I'll help you after school," she said but I shook my head.

"I can't. I have detention with Stan."

"Already?" she asked and I shot her a look. "What do you need?"

"Right now? I just need to punch something," I said through gritted teeth.

"Good thing you have strength next then," Lissa joked. I didn't laugh.

"Yeah, I got to get to class. See you at lunch," I said slamming my locker shut and walking away without a response.

I was the first one at the gym, as the second bell hadn't rung yet. I quickly got changed and made my way over to the biggest punching bag in the room. With the first hit, I thought of Stan. My anger built. With the second I thought of everyone laughing at me. By the time I had delivered my third hit, I was fuming. I thought of everything that pissed me off and there was a long list to go through. With each thought, I hit harder adding some kicks and other moves into the mix. I was lost in my own thoughts, I didn't realise I had an audience. With one last punch using all the supernatural strength I had, the chains that suspended the bag broke and it well with a huge thump to the ground. I blinked myself out of my anger and looked around to see the entire class standing watching me with wide unblinking eyes. I looked back to the bag only just noticing the damage I had caused. The bag had several tears in it spilling its content onto the floor of the gym. The chain had not just snapped, it shattered from the force of my last hit. Pieces of the chain had flown in all different directions and left only a few links in the place where there once was a chain. The teacher shouted some orders and came towards me pulling me away from the others.

"What did you do?" she asked with a stern voice.

"I just came early to do a warm-up and I guess I used too much strength in that last hit, I'm sorry."

"That chain shouldn't have broken no matter how hard you hit it. It was made of Tungsten, the strongest metal on earth."

"Vampire strength is probably stronger," I started, and she shook her head.

"That is the metal slayers make their stakes from. It's supposed to be unbreakable." She looked away, her eyes full of questions. I coughed, and she looked at me.

"Go join the others, and don't mention this to anyone." I nodded and ran to where everyone was doing their warm-up stretches.

The bell rang for lunch and I ran out hoping the teacher would not want me to go to the headmistress for property damage. I had already endured that once and I didn't want to ever again. Lissa sat at our normal table talking to her boyfriend, the school weirdo, Christian Ozera. Like me, he embraced the vampire ways. He wore all black as usual, his eyes were red like everyone else's but were surrounded by an ice blue iris. His hair was naturally black and seemed to blend in with his jacket making it look like he was wearing a hoodie. Christian and I had started off on the wrong foot. I didn't trust him because his parents had chosen to join the Dark Blood's. I thought he would join to be with his parents and that he would take Lissa with him. It took me a while, but I warmed up to him, especially after what happened at the changing ceremony.

Born vampires don't become full vampires until they turn sixteen. Then, at the blood ceremony, they have to pass through a mirror where they gain their full natural vampire abilities and leave their souls behind which is why we lost our reflections. When a full vampire returns from the mirror, they are starving. They are given a cup of blood to clench their thirst but sometimes that isn't enough. Almost a third of the new full vampires are driven mad by the unquenchable thirst that they leave, go on a rampage and join with the Dark Blood's. Christian Refused the cup only taking a sip. He starved himself but proved to everyone what side he is on. He grew weak, but it worked as he gained the trust and respect his parents deprived him of. When I came back through I was starving. I drained my cup of blood in a matter of seconds, but it wasn't enough. I was so close to crossing the line and becoming a Dark Blood, but Lissa pulled me back and helped me gain control.

Sometimes I still crave the blood so much that my throat burns but I have learnt to control it.

I walk over and sit across from the openly affectionate couple displaying way too much PDA. They were so infatuated with each other that they didn't notice me until I slammed my fist on the table causing it to shake furiously. They broke away and turned to me. Christian glared but Lissa smiled brightly showing off her perfect white fangs.

"Hey, are you feeling better now you have beaten the crap out a defenceless punching bag?" She asked. I opened my mouth to answer but bit the words back remembering I was told not to say anything to anyone, not even my best friend.

"Much better, but I can't say the same for the punching bag. By the time I was finished with it, it was a pile of scraps on the ground." Lissa laughed and I pushed the guilty feeling in my stomach to the back of my mind.

"Hey, Rose, my aunt Tasha has offered us to stay with her for the weekend," said Christian changing the topic.

"Really? What for?" I asked taking a sip from my Diet Coke hoping it would help quench my thirst.

"I may have mentioned that you want to be a Night Rider when you leave school and Tasha offered to take us on a tour of the vampire council building. Lissa will be able to meet some old friends of her parents and see where her parents worked when they were councillors." He said pulling Lissa closer to him and kissing the top of her head. I internally cringed.

"Plus, we need to go dress shopping for the dance next week," said Lissa with wide excited eyes.

"I wasn't planning on going," I told her. Her excitement fell from her eyes at my words.

"What? Why not?"

"I'm just not in a party mood," I lied.

"We'll get yourself in a party mood because it is the first dance of the year and no way am I going to let you back out." I suppressed the laugh building in my throat. Lissa was passionate about everything but the one thing she was most passionate about was fashion.

"Fine, I'll come," I sighed as Lissa squealed and started listing what we should wear. I zoned out focusing on sipping my drink slowly until the bell rang and I could distract my hunger with training.

Third period was boring as usual but compulsory for all vampires. We did not follow the same academics as humans do at normal schools. Instead, we had one class where we learnt everything that humans did in their lifetime. Our brains are designed to learn information quickly and store it forever. The things we learn are very useful sometimes and thanks to our immoral brains, we will never forget.

I picked up the first book and flicked through the pages as quick as I could. By the time the class had ended, I learnt everything about music and could probably write my own symphony. If I could be bothered. While the things humans do is interesting, I'd rather be a vampire. Next class was my favorite, speed. I found my seat next to Eddie, another close friend of mine and best friend to Mason. He smiled when he saw me but did not say anything. Eddie was all about following the rules, so I have no idea why he was friends with me. Mia sat beside him brushing the tangles out of her baby doll blonde hair.

Mia and I started off on the wrong side, mostly because she taunted Lissa and I for half the year, but that changed when I found her crying in the bathroom at a party. It was the last day before the break and we all having a little gathering. I drank a bit more than I could handle and sprinted to the bathroom. When I walked in I was shocked to see Mia lying on the cold white tiles crying. The urge to throw up left me as I took in the form of my worst enemy on her weakest state. She cursed at me to get out. I turned but I didn't leave. Instead, I closed the door and locked it before joining her on the ground. I sobered up enough to be rational and comfort her. She told me her mother had been staked recently and she doesn't want to go home to just her father. I told her what happened to me, but she just laughed saying I was lucky I didn't know my mother when she died.

"It doesn't matter, she was still my mother. Do you think it's easy? I don't remember what she looked like. I don't remember the sound of her voice. I don't have s home to go back to."

"You have Lissa and the Dragomir's," she sniffled.

"I did, but now they are gone, and I only have Lissa. We have lost people we care about too and even though you hate us, we have more in common with you than you might think." I stood up ready to leave but she stopped me.

"I don't hate you. I know that probably sounds like a load of bullshit but it's true, I don't. I just hated what her brother did to me," she whispered.

"Andre?" She nodded.

"Did you know we were dating?" I shook my head. "Yeah, we were together for an entire year, but he said he wanted to keep it private. Then I found out I wasn't the only one he was seeing privately. I confronted him about it, but he just blew me off and dumped me like I was just another girl to him," she explained. I thought for a minute before I spoke.

"He… he was kind of a player," I said hesitantly. Mia laughed brushing away the tears.

"I know. I just thought I was different," she shrugged. I comforted her for the rest of the night and we had been friends ever since. She even apologized to Lissa. The memory vanished just as Stan walked in. He was a pain in the ass, but he was a good teacher when he wasn't picking on me.

"Alright class," he started. His eyes scanned the room but stalled for a second when he reached me. "Now that we have covered the basics, it is up to you to work on building your speed and endurance. Because we have a limited amount of blood, we lose energy quickly and therefore loose speed. I think I also have to remind you of the rules as it seems some of you have forgotten." He said glancing at me briefly and I slid back in my seat. "It is _forbidden_ to use any Vampire abilities on school grounds outside of the classroom. If any student is found using them after today, they will face a much harsher punishment then detention." He wasn't even trying to be discrete as he glared at me. Others turned to look at me including Eddie who gave me a questioning look. I shook my head and mouthed that I would tell him later.

"Now, on with the lesson. Next week is our big forest camp out where you will be able to use any vampire ability freely. You will have to spend forty-eight hours in the forest with two blood bags to keep you alive. It will be challenging, as you will have to find a way to avoid the sun as you make your way to the checkpoint and back." I was so excited for this trip. The senior students always did it at the beginning of the year and they loved it. Two whole days in the woods with no rules giving us a taste of the freedom we will get when we graduate.

The rest of the class seemed to go on for ages as we took notes on all the things we had to be aware of before the trip. When that bell rang, it was music to my ears. I packed up my books quickly and made my way to the door but then Stan blocked me.

"Going somewhere, Hathaway?"

"Just… to your office for detention," I stuttered. He nodded.

"I'll walk you," he said and walked out the door with me following. The halls were empty as everyone was probably with their friends having fun. "Why do you do it, Rose?" Asked Stan. "Why must you always test the boundaries."

"I don't know Stan. Maybe I'm rebelling. Maybe I'm bored. I guess you just can't make a bad girl good." I said with a sigh.

"You're not a bad girl. I have known you all your life and you have always been my star student," he said. I was surprised to hear him say this. He had always been hard on me, pushing me harder than any other student, and it paid off. I was faster than any student here and could almost surpass every teacher, except for Stan.

"That all changed after the ceremony," I said ignoring the constricting feeling in my stomach.

"The ceremony doesn't change who you are, it just unlocks all the potential you have." my anger was building, as I really wasn't in the mood for a lecture after the day I have had. "I'm going to let you off with a warning this time. No detention, but this is your last warning." My jaw dropped he was letting me go. I was just about to leave when he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "You are better than this Rose. The path you are going down won't lead you to the destination you seek." He gave me a stern look and I nodded agreeing. He hesitated for a second before he let go and I walked quickly in the opposite direction towards the dining hall. Blood is our main source of sustenance but we also need human food, although most people reject it after their daily feed. I lined up with my tray taking a small serving of tomato soup and a cup of red jelly. Anyone who looked at my tray would be able to tell what I was craving. Our little group sat in our usual spot laughing. I joined them sitting between Mia and Mason with Lissa across from me cuddling up to Christian and Mason next to her trying his best to ignore them. Lissa smiled as I started on my soup.

"Hey, don't you have detention?" she asked.

"He let me go with a warning." She looked as shocked as I was.

"What? Why?" I looked around our table and decided to tell Lissa later on.

"It's the first day back, and I doubt Stan wants to spend an hour of his life watching over me." everyone seemed to accept my lie and went back to eating and talking. I focused on my soup half listening to the conversation. We talked about the weekend trip with Christian's aunt and I felt my excitement build. I wouldn't admit it, but I was really looking forward to it. When dinner was over, Lissa and I left the others and went to her room.

"Why are you having so much trouble turning into a bat?" she asked. "It's the easiest one."

"For you maybe."

"For everyone. It's the most basic transformation, I was taught how before the change. Transforming into a horse is the hardest."

"Well sorry, but I didn't have expert shape-shifters for parents," I argued. Lissa's face fell.

"You're right, I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"Don't be, I'm fine. I just mean I didn't have anyone to teach me before the change. How did your parents teach you?" I asked. She jumped off the bed and walked towards me.

"You have to feel it," she started.

"Yeah I know, Alberta says that all the time." I cut her off. "Picture the sounds and smells blah blah blah," I said rolling my eyes.

"No, it's more than that. Changing come from emotions," she said pulling me out of the comfy chair I was lounging on. "Close your eyes." I obeyed. "Now pick an emotion. Channel that emotion and visualize. Focus on the details, the feeling of flying, the wind howling," she instructed. I focused on everything she said and for a moment I felt something happening but when I opened my eyes, nothing had changed. I looked in the mirror for any changes but everything stayed the same.

"It didn't work," I stated with a huff.

"You're not feeling it," she argued.

"Well what do you suggest?"

"There is something my parents did with Andre when he was first having shifting." She started opening the window behind me.

"Really? What?"

"Well…" she started but stopped when she grabbed my shoulders and threw me out the window. I closed my eyes and screamed as gravity pushed me to the ground. My stomach flipped as I fell closer to the ground. After a while I was confused. I should have hit the ground by now. Only then did I realize the movements my arms were making. I opened my eyes and looked down at the ground I was hovering above. Lissa stood at the window smiling as she saw me. My arms had disappeared, replaced with the wide webbed wings of a bat. I flew into the window and shifted instantly back to normal. I strode up to Lissa clenching my fist digging my nails into the skin of my palm to keep me from lashing out.

"What the hell?" I shouted.

"It worked," she shrugged not moving or looking scared.

"You didn't know it would. You threw me out the window" I exclaimed.

"Oh please, we both know that wouldn't hurt you and now you know, fear is the emotion that shifts you."

"Oh yeah? What does anger shift me into?" I asked rhetorically.

"Judging by the claws currently growing from your fingertips, I would say, a wolf." I looked at my hands to see the claws long, sharp and ready for the kill. I took a deep breath and the claws retracted turning back my normal red polished nails. Maybe Lissa was right. I had never understood what they meant by feeling it but maybe this was it.

"Okay so it worked once, how do we know if fear is what actually made me shift?" I asked much calmer now.

"Shift again. Think of your biggest fear, something that scares you to your core and imagine it happening." I raked my brain trying to find what scared me most. Spiders? Snakes? Stake? Slayers? No. What scared me most was becoming a Dark Blood. I saw the blood running down my chin as I finished draining my Victim. The red eyes empty of soul but full of so much anger and violence. I opened my eyes and watched as my arms changed as I shrunk until I was too small and I leapt into the air and started flying. It worked.

Again and again, I transformed until I had that solid and then we moved onto wolves. We worked past midnight until the sun had just started rising and I needed to get back to my room. I was practically skipping down the corridor when I saw a teacher I froze. It was past lights out and if I were caught I would be in so much trouble. I ducked before they could see me and quickly used my new-mastered skill. I flew past him and made it to my room almost as fast as my super speed would have. I snuck inside and threw myself into my coffin falling asleep the moment my head touched the red silk pillow.


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the week seemed to drag on for years as my excitement for the weekend built. I listened to Stan's word and tried to follow the rules as much as I could with a little bend here and there. I was excited to try out my mastered skill and looked forward to seeing the shocked faces of the people who had laughed. Alberta was impressed as I had managed to shift easily into every form in the curriculum with no trouble. I was quickly becoming the best in that class along with the others. I decided this year was important and I should be trying not just counting down the days until it was over. With Stan's words imprinted in my brain, I got to work and was doing surprisingly well. I had caught up in every class and was now on track with everyone else. Thursday came and went and pretty soon it was Friday night and I was packing for the drive. We had been given permission to leave early to avoid the sun and ensure a safe drive. A knock on my door pulled me away as I finished zipping up my bag.

"Ready to go?" Asked Lissa standing in the doorway with her suitcase in her hand. I nodded and picked up my case dragging it out of my room and closing the door behind me. The drive was over four hours long, so we took it in turns. I missed my feeding this morning and was starving for blood. When we finally arrived, I was so relieved. A tall woman stood at the front of a small cabin like house. She smiled as we got out of the car. Christian ran to her and embraced her in a loving hug.

"Christian, it's been too long. I missed you," said the woman as she released him.

"I know, I will try to visit more," Christian responded and turned to where Lissa and I stood.

"Aunt Tasha, this is Lissa," he said bring Lissa to his side.

"The famous Vasilissa Dragomir, it's nice to finally meet you. You look so much like your mother," said Tasha. Lissa shook her outstretched hand.

"Thank you, and you look so much like Christian... or should I say he looks so much like you?" Lissa rambled. It was true. The pair shared the same black hair and ice blue eyes hidden behind a blood-red iris. Tasha laughed at Lissa's nervousness.

"Either is fine, it is the Ozera genes."

"And this is Rose," said Christian gesturing to me. Tasha turned to me and embraced me like we were old friends. I was taken back for a second at her friendliness before returning the hug.

"Rosemarie Hathaway, I have heard so much about you." She said. I looked to Christian who just shrugged innocently.

"All good I hope?" I asked.

"Mostly," Tasha chuckled as she led me up the stairs into the house. She showed us around the spacious cabin. While Lissa and Christian had slept together plenty of times at the academy, Tasha gave him the spare coffin in the basement and gave Lissa and me in Christian's old room with our own coffins. They were old and looked like they were close to disintegrating, but they were stronger then they looked and they would do. Tasha made some calls and soon, a feeder was delivered to our door. After we're given our blood, Tasha told us to get some sleep and we would go to the mall just when the sun is starting to set. The trip would have to be quick, but we needed to go during human hours. Luckily the sun set early in this part of the country, so we would get a couple extra hours. I was exhausted but Lissa was very excited and woke me just as the sun was starting to descend. I yawned loudly making my way into the living room where Tasha was raking through a cupboard.

"These will be uncomfortable at first," she said and held up two sets of contact lenses to my face. I had never needed to wear them before as the last time I was in the human world was before I had transformed. She smiled agreeing with one pair and handed them to me. The color was dark brown and very similar to my original eye color that still ringed my blood red irises.

After some important instructions, I managed to put them in and make them look realistic enough to fool a human. Lissa and Christian looked so different with their natural eye color. Christian wore the same ice blue as his aunt while Lissa wore a bright green slightly off to her natural green but still covered up the red and made her look even more like an angel. We piled into the car and took off down the highway as the sun had disappeared and all that remain was its brightly colored stains in the sky. It was still early afternoon when we arrived. Lissa all but dragged me through the mall, digging through the racks to find the perfect dressed. She found hers quickly, a pretty pink pastille dress that fit her incredibly tiny figure perfectly and made her look as pure and innocent as a flower. Christian and Tasha went off to find a suit leaving me alone with the crazy shopaholic. It seemed every store we went to, Lissa came out with something. I followed along focusing on just keeping my eyes open, until Lissa was finished. She had bags and bags attached to her wrists holding everything she needed for the dance. When she was done, her attention shifted to me.

"Come on Rose, you haven't tried on anything yet," Lissa whined after I rejected another one of her suggestions.

"I just haven't found one I really like yet," I told her, hiding my distaste at the purple dress with sequins and tassels hanging down.

"Well, at least try one," she said. I sighed and turned to a rack and found a dress that I actually didn't mind. I pulled it out and smiled. Lissa nodded in approval and shoved me into the change rooms. The dress black with red patterns on top of the strapless bodice that lifted my boobs up and made my waist look smaller. The skirt was tightfitting and short just finishing at mid-thigh. I loved the dress and judging by the look on Lissa's face when I stepped out of the change room, she did too.

She bought it for me despite my arguing that it was too much.

"Nothing is too much when you have a trust fund the size of Jupiter." As high councilors, Lissa's parents were rich. The girl had a trust fund from the day she was born.

"it is when you buy the shoes and accessories to match," I argued.

"You know the accessories make the outfit and I saw the look on your face when you saw the shoes." She was right. I loved the shoes. Platform heels with a cylinder silver heel that looked exactly like a slayers stake. We had no problem with slayers. In the old days they were just nosey humans who knew too much, now, with their advanced technology, the slayers have turned into a bigger threat than ever. I know a lot of people who have lost someone they loved to the slayers and yet we do nothing. Unlike the Dark Bloods who hunt them down for sport and for the delicious taste of slayers blood, although they are the ones who usually end up as ash. If a vampire kills a slayer, they keep the stake as a trophy, the same way slayers do with our ashes.

"I do, but I feel bad to make you spend so much money on me."

"Rose, your stuff cost only about a quarter of what mine was," she said as we left the store. She was right of course but it didn't make me feel any better. "Look, if you really want to make it up to me, buy me a coffee," she said. My nose wrinkled at the mention of the sour brown liquid.

"Coffee? Why?"

"I need some caffeine if I'm going to make it to the tour in a few hours." She said with a yawn to prove her statement.

"Aren't we leaving now?" I asked.

"Do you ever listen?" I shrugged shaking my head. "Tasha said she was going to take Christian to meet an old family friend and she would pick us up at eight. I guess she thought we would take longer but now we have an hour to kill." She led me through the mall until we made it to the food court. It was pretty empty as most of the shops were closing but some people hung around waiting for the restaurants to open.

"Okay fine, I'll buy you a coffee." We turned into a little café alone in the corner. I ordered her a coffee and a chocolate chip muffin for myself and stood off to the side to wait. For an almost empty café, it took a long time for the coffee. I stood with my paper bag nibbling on my muffin when the door opened, and a tall figure walked in. I stopped chewing instantly as he approached, and I noticed tall didn't even begin to describe the strangers height. When he turned around I was so stunned I almost forgot to swallow. I blinked back my surprise and quickly swallowed before he came beside me and ordered. I heard a faint Russian accent behind his words as he ordered a black coffee with no sugar. I took him in from the side. Dark brown shoulder length hair that framed his face and brought out the chocolate brown color of his eyes. He had broad shoulders hidden underneath a long thick brown leather duster.

"What name is that under?" asked the Barista.

"Dimitri," he answered and tanked her. I was so lost in studying him that I couldn't look away until he turned, and our eyes met. I looked down, feeling the blood rising to my cheeks at my embarrassment from being caught checking out the ridiculously good-looking man in front of me. He walked around me and stood to my other side.

"Hey," he whispered after a few seconds of silence.

"Hey," I responded. My undead heart was beating rapidly in my chest.

"Is the coffee good here?" he asked. I looked up meeting his eyes.

"I don't know, I'm not from around here. The service is slow though," I said. I saw the corner of his twitch into a half smile.

"I'm not from here either," he started.

"I kind of figured with the accident. Are you here on holiday?"

"Um no…I left Russia years ago."

"Oh…sorry," I whispered. The awkward feeling came back until he spoke again.

"It's alright, I get that a lot. Where are you from?" he asked.

"Montana."

"Really? I'm going there for business in a couple of days," he said. I felt my smile building.

"Maybe I'll see you there," I said.

"Maybe. What's your name?" he asked. I looked to him.

"Rose. Rose Hathaway," I responded. He gave me a small smile that made my stomach swirl.

"I'm Dimitri," he said extending his hand.

"I know," I blurted out taking his hand and shaking it. "I mean, I heard you say it before. Not that I was trying to overhear or anything…" I rambled. Our hands kept on shaking for a lot longer than supposed to. I let go slowly dropping my hand back down to my side.

"Hathaway!" shouted the guy right behind me leaving my ears ringing.

"Well, that's me," I said taking the cup.

"Wait," said Dimitri as I took my first step towards Lissa. I turned to Dimitri. "Do you want to grab a bit to eat?" he asked. I thought about it for a second.

"I can't. My friend and I have plans tonight," I answered.

"How about tomorrow night?" he asked. I hesitated unsure because while he was extremely good looking, he was also human. "I want to see you again," he said, and my wall crumbled.

"Okay." He smiled handing me his phone. I put in my number and texted myself, getting his in return.

"Where should I pick you up from?" he asked. I almost responded but bit my tongue remembering the dangers of a human too close to a castle full of vampires. "Don't worry, I'll just meet you here." I told him adding a small smile.

"Okay, see you tomorrow." I nodded and quickly made my way to Lissa. She took her coffee from me and I sat down at the table unable to look Lissa in the eye knowing she heard everything.

"He's hot," she started.

"Ah huh," I agreed with a mouth full of muffin.

"But he is human." She whispered.

"I know, I know." I sighed.

"Rose, it is forbidden."

"I know. It's forbidden to have a relationship but its just one date Lissa. I'll probably never see him again."

"Be careful Rose," she warned taking a sip from her coffee.

"I will." My eyes followed Dimitri as he walked out.

Lissa finished her coffee and we walked out to the parking lot where Tasha's car sat waiting. She started the engine when she saw us, and we jumped in.

"How was the shopping?" asked Tasha once we closed the door.

"It was good, we got everything," I responded and looked to Lissa, but she avoided my gaze.

"I'm sorry I couldn't have joined you," said Tasha.

"Oh, don't worry about it. Honestly, it was kind of boring," I responded and Lissa turned to me with an overly dramatic offended glare.

"I have never heard anyone use boring and shopping in the same sentence before. Something must have happened?" asked Tasha.

"No, nothing exciting," I said with a shrug. Lissa scoffed.

"No, nothing exciting, except the fact that Rose got a date," Lissa muttered. I turned to her with a glare, but she wasn't looking at me.

"What?" exclaimed Christian from the passenger seat.

"Yes Christian, it's true. It might be hard for you to believe but not everyone is as repulsed by me as you are." Christian rolled his eyes.

"So, who is the lucky guy Rose?" asked Tasha.

"Um… oh, no one. He's just a guy," I started and Lissa jumped in.

"A Human," I glared at Lissa again, but she just reciprocated with an even harsher glare.

"Rose!" Christian Shrieked. "You can't! It is forbidden!"

"It's just one date, I doubt I'll ever see him again," I argued.

"Rose, this is dangerous. If you expose yourself to a human, you will be in so much trouble with the vampire council." Warned Tasha.

"I know it is dangerous, but I won't expose myself. I have been around Humans all day and I have been fine. The date is at night, I have the contacts and I know how to retract my fangs. I will be careful." I promised. No one said anything after that. Not too long after, we pulled up to a large castle like building surrounded by iron gates with sharp thorny vines wrapped around each bar. On Tasha's instructions, we removed our contacts and stepped out of the car. The gravel crushed beneath our feet as we made our way towards the building. As we made our way towards the huge building, a group of people ran past wearing all black. I stopped to watch them as they ran. One of the guys saw me watching and smirked giving me a wink as he continued running past. I turned around and ran to catch up with the others. Once inside, the doors closed behind us. Tasha led us down a long corridor gesturing to closed doors as we went.

"This is the council room, where the first councilors vote for new laws," said Tasha. "And this is the court room where the trials for vampiric crimes are held." We continued walking down the hall until we reached a pair of red oak double doors left slightly ajar.

"This is the main council building, your parents worked here Lissa." Lissa looked taken back and stepped to look through the crack in the door.

"they were good at their job, weren't they?" Lissa asked pulling away from the door. Tasha nodded.

"They were." Lissa nodded and Tasha took off again with us following closely behind.

"So, the councilors make all the laws, they are our rulers?" I asked.

"No, the councilors vote on new laws, but they need the approval of the Grand High Vampire. He is our Ruler."

"Where is he? Will we get to meet him?" I asked, hopeful to meet the one they called the Grand High Vampire. Tasha just laughed, and my hope sunk.

"Meet him? I doubt you will ever even see him," she said after she had finished.

"What do you mean?" I asked looking to the others. Lissa looked like she was trying to hide her smile, but her cheeks were reddening. Did they all know something I didn't?

"No one has seen him for centuries. Only a small group of people know where he is. No one knows what he looks like or how powerful he is," Tasha explained. My confusion grew.

"How can he rule all Vampires Hidden away in the shadows?"

"We send him the Documents and he signs the ones he agrees with and destroys the ones he doesn't and send back the ashes." I still had so many unanswered questions, but I didn't have the chance to say anything before Tasha stopped walking and turned to us.

"That's enough political talk," she started. "Lissa and Christian, if you come with me I will show you were your parents worked when they were here. Rose, the Night Riders training center is just down the hall. It's the last one on your left. We will come and get you when we are finished," said Tasha. I threw my questions away as my excitement grew. I smiled excitedly and nodded before I turned and nearly ran down the hall.

I stood in front of the door and I suddenly felt nervous. I gulped back my fear before raising my fist to the door. I was about to knock but before I could, the doors opened to reveal a huge room that looked a lot like my school's gym but cleaner and more modern. The same people I saw outside before were scattered out all using different gym equipment. The same guy who had winked at me before was the first to notice me. He smirked again and put down his weights before making his way towards me. As he approached me, it felt like my voice had left me. I stood there staring at him in pure amazement, until he spoke.

"Are you lost Little girl?" he asked. In that instant, it was like a bucket of ice water fell over me and woke me up. I wasn't shy anymore, I was annoyed. His tone and confident stance gave off waves of cockiness. Now, I had no trouble finding my voice. I folded my arms over my chest and shifted my weight to a stance that resembled his.

"Nope, I know where I am," I answered in a smug tone adding my own smirk at the end. He chuckled shaking his head.

"Another Night Rider wanna be?" my smirk turned to a scowl. "well, let's see if you have what it takes." She said gesturing me to walk inside. I stepped across him bashing my shoulder into his as I past. I threw off my jacket and made my way to the mats where he stood waiting in a fighting position. An audience was growing as some of the others started to notice what was happening. I joined him squatting down into my own fighting stance.

"Don't hold back," I told him.

"Never," he said with a wink. The fight began. We circled each other, neither of us going on offence. I was losing patience and was about to strike but he lashed out. I blocked his attack and managed to run around behind him. he was fast and strong, but I was faster, and I was stronger. This time, I struck. Each of us got good hits on each other but in the end, it came down to natural abilities. I used my full speed and kicked his legs out from under him. he landed on his back and before he could move I was on him and made a fake biting motion for his neck as we did back at the academy when sparring. He froze, and I backed up extending my hand. He took it with a smile and I pulled him to his feet. The room broke out in applause as and I turned to them smiling.

"I was holding back you know?" asked the guy.

"You said you wouldn't," I teased.

"I never keep my promises."

"If that's what you want to believe," I smirked. I looked around the room at the people who were clapping and cheering for me.

"I'm Daniel," He introduced with his hand extended.

"Rose," I responded shaking his hand.

"Well Rose, if you do want to be a Night Rider, we would be happy to have you." I gave him a flirty small.

"I'll have to think about it. I still have to graduate before I decide."

"Well, whatever you decide, just remember you have a family here. once a Night Rider, always a Night Rider," He said. I gave him a genuine smile.

"I'll remember." For the rest of my time, Daniel showed me around introducing me to the Nightriders. Apparently, there were more who were either guarding, asleep or were on a mission. Of the fifty or so I met, only about eleven were women. Women were outnumbered but they were still strong and held their own. In this group there were no difference between the men and the women. Here, they were equals. I had spoken with a small group and they quickly corrected me on what I did wrong and how to fix my stance.

By the time Tasha and the others had come, I didn't want to leave but I knew we had to. We went back to the house just as the sun was rising over the trees. We cut it close when we got back and had to run to avoid the sun that was just starting the peak its beams through gaps in the forest. We made it inside and I patted down where the sun had scorched me until only a little smoke was left. Tasha gave us blood and we went off to our rooms for some well-needed sleep. I was exhausted, but my thoughts were running wild. I couldn't stop thinking of the Night Riders, the Grand High Vampire and, of course, Dimitri. I couldn't wait for our date. And with that last thought on my mind, I drifted off to a dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

I awoke early to find Lissa's coffin already open and empty and an outfit laid out on a chair. Lissa walked in wearing her pink robe carrying a mug in her hands. She smiled when she saw me.

"You're awake early," she stated.

"So are you," I responded pulling myself out of my coffin.

"I'm always up early, I meant you are up earlier than you have ever been on a Sunday." I shrugged.

"Sundays are my sleep-in days," I argued. She giggled lightly.

"Here, I picked this out for you," she said gesturing to the chair. "It's casual but nice for a dinner date and will hopefully make you look more human."

"Thanks for this," I said while examining what she chose.

"While I do not agree with Vampire Human dating, I can see you're happy. I like when you're happy, it makes me happy, so I am going to help you," she said giving me a hug. I pulled on the dress, a navy-blue dress with a pair of black ankle boots. I smiled approving of the look but added my signature black leather jacket. Lissa rolled her eyes as I pulled it on.

"No, don't ruin the look. I made you classy," she complained.

"I'm not going to ruin the look, I'm just going to make it more badass classy," I argued. She rolled her eyes again. Despite my arguing, she did my hair and makeup. I was done with a deep blood red lipstick and my brown contacts set on my eyes. I looked good, I looked human, but I kept a little Vampire with me. My leather jacket was worn and old, but I never went anywhere without it. It was my mothers. Tasha drove me in with Lissa and Christian as they were going on a breakfast date in the mall. Tasha Dropped us off and I went off to meet with Dimitri. I sent him a text to tell him I was here. I buzz from my phone told me he had sent me a response. I looked down for a split second and when I looked up he was there dressed in a white dress shirt and black dress pants. His hair framed his face making his jaw look even sharper and his eyes even warmer.

"Hey," I said putting my phone away. He looked me up and down.

"You look beautiful," he stated. I smiled naturally almost forgetting to hide my fangs, but I remembered just in time. "Shall we?" he asked holding out his arm. I took it and we went off to dinner. The restaurant he took me to was very fancy with white embroidered tablecloths and a menu written in French. Dimitri pulled my chair out for me like a proper gentleman. The small gesture made me smile. I struggled to read the menu, which made him chuckle.

"The Ratatouille sounds nice," he suggested.

"What's in it?" I asked.

"Vegetables mostly with a sweet garlic sauce on top." I felt my muscles tense.

"No." I burst out abruptly.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "can't you eat garlic?"

"No, I can. It just gives me really bad breath and I am not a fan of the taste," I explained. He nodded and pointed out an option on the menu garlic free.

He helped me and once we had decided, he pronounced the fancy words properly to the waiter.

"Thank you, as you can probably see I'm not very familiar with foreign things, I'm more of an American cheeseburger kind of girl," I told him taking a sip from my water.

"I don't know about that. Your skin is naturally dark along with your hair and eyes, you look very exotic," he said. I stiffened when he mentioned my eyes but relaxed as he took my hand.

"Well my mother was a pale red-headed Scottish woman, so I doubt it comes from her, maybe my father's genes were stronger," I told him.

"Where's he from?" Dimitri asked. I shrugged shaking my head. "You don't know? Hasn't he told you?"

"He's never spoken to me. I don't know anything about him except that he abandoned my mother." I knew I was telling him too much personal stuff, but it felt good letting this out to a person who I would never see again. He gave my hand a light squeeze.

"I'm sorry," He said his eyes filled with regret.

"Don't be. It's his fault. He missed out on a life with my mother and he missed out knowing me, which is probably the biggest mistake he will ever make," I joked.

"It is," said Dimitri and my heartbeat sped up. Yes, we are dead, but we still have hearts that beat just they don't beat with our blood, they beat with the blood we drink. It gives us life, energy and strength. Our food came, and he released my hand, so I could dig into the tiny but delicious looking food. I had a little goats cheese tart filled with all kinds of things. The portions were very small compared to the plate, but perfect for a vampire who had just fed a little over an hour ago.

Dimitri's had the duck. A medium portion of duck's breast sat in the centre of his plate decorated with green sprouts and a thick sauce.

"So, what are you going to do back in Montana?" he asked taking a bite of his meal. I swallowed my food and started cutting my second bite.

"Um, well, I have to back to school but it's my senior year, so I guess it will be over soon," I told him.

"So, you are still in school. I thought you looked young," he told me.

"What about you?" I asked picking up my fork and starting on my second bite.

"Work, I left school early and I finished college just last year."

"So how old are you?"

"Twenty-one," he answered.

"Really? You look older,"I shrugged. He laughed lightly.

"How old did you think I was?" he asked.

"I don't know… around twenty-four. I guess it is because of your height." He laughed again. "You could also pass for a very mature looking eighteen-year-old when you smile." the rest of the meal was nice with light conversation. I finished my tart in just seven bites. He ordered dessert for us to share once the waiter had come to take our plates. The little tiramisu was delicious. We were meant to share it, but he let me have most of it. After I was finished licking my spoon clean, he paid the bill and we went for a walk.

He helped me pull my jacket on and we walked out of the restaurant hand in hand.

"What do you have on at school?" he asked.

"well, when I get back we have the camping trip in the forest just outside our school. It starts on Tuesday and we have to spend forty-eight hours in the forest using our skills and basic instincts to stay alive," I explained starting to get excited about the trip. Dimitri released my hand and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Really?" he asked fumbling around his clothes, I looked away giving him some privacy. "How many are going on this trip?" he asked.

"It's compulsory for the whole year so, I'd say close to two-hundred students and a few teachers." Suddenly he stopped fumbling. I turned around to see him looking at something small sitting in the palm of his hand.

"Are you alright?" I asked. He looked to me and gave me a small smile, tucking whatever he was holding back into his pocket.

"Yeah, I was just looking for my keys. I thought I lost them, but I found them," he told me. I smiled as he took my hand again and we walked to the parking lot where Tasha's car sat waiting.

"Well, this is me," I told him.

"Yes, it is. Well, it was very nice meeting you, Rose," he said Kissing my hand.

"You too, Dimitri."

"I know we will probably never see each other again but I had a great night with you," he said. I smiled.

"Me too. Thank you for dinner." We stood staring at each other for a couple of seconds before he leant in and I stretched up meeting his lips in a kiss. The kiss was kept short because we had an audience watching but, in that short amount of time, a million messages passed between us. He let me go and I went off. I quickly jumped in the back of Tasha's car. My eyes never left Dimitri as we drove away, it was only once he was blocked from my vision that I turned away from the window to the gaping faces of my friends.

"What?" I asked.

"You kissed him," Lissa stated.

"Yeah, and?"

"He's human," Christian stated.

"Oh, come on, it was just a kiss. It didn't mean anything," I said waving him off.

"I hope you're right, Rose," Lissa muttered but I heard her clear as day.

Tasha took us back to her house. We packed up, thanked her and then headed on the road back to the academy. It was my time to drive while Lissa and Christian sat in the back talking. I was glad they were ignoring me, it gave me a chance to think. I thought about Dimitri and the perfect date we just had. Even though he was human, I did like him, and I hoped that one day we would meet again. We pulled up to the academy and instantly were rushed to the feeders and then straight to our rooms. We had Monday off in preparation for the camping trip and I spent most of that day sleeping and practising my shapeshifting with Lissa as I was going to need it once outside in the forest. Sun was our worst enemies, apart from slayers. Unlike slayers, the sun could not be killed, and the sun didn't have a weapon to thrust into our chests. The sun was unstoppable and unavoidable. For this test, you either have to shift, find cover or burn. The teachers wouldn't let us die, there would be too much paperwork to deal with, we each had an emergency shield, but if we used it, it sent out a signal and we would have to drop out and miss getting the grade on one of the most important assignments. I was determined not to fail.

At last, the big day came. We stood in the main hall as the teachers were reading the rules. Looking around I noticed most people wearing shorts and tank tops, unlike me in my tight black leggings, red shirt and, as always, my black leather jacket. Lissa went for a similar outfit but instead of red and black, she wore light denim jeans and a white long sleeve T-shirt. She also replaced my combat boots with a pair of sneakers.

"Alright, everyone, listen up," Alberta called. Everyone stopped talking and turned to her. "This is your pack," she said holding up a small backpack. "everything you need is in here including two blood bags and a cooling brick to keep them fresh. That blood will keep you alive. I suggest you manage your feeding wisely. Also, in there, is a compass, water battle and map. If anything happens to you and you want to drop out, there is a small remote with a red button. Once you have pressed it, open your shield and we will come get you but that is it. Once you are out, your out. Any questions?" everyone was silent. "Good. Come get a pack everyone and then make your way to the forest," she instructed.

I lined up with the other, grabbing a small blue backpack and getting my name marked off. I found Eddie and Mason once I was outside and so the three of us set out. This test was all individual so there were no partnering up. We got halfway through the forest when we all split our separate ways. I walked along a path for a while but suddenly I remembered why I was here and that there were no limits or restrictions now. with that in mind, I raced off at the fastest speed I could go. I shifted into a wolf, the feeling of the dirt under my paws was amazing. I came to a stream of running water and just managed to stop myself with only my paw getting wet.

The pure water burned but I was lucky it was only my paw. I shifted into a bat and flew up, high above the tree line, through the clouds in the night sky. The feeling of freedom was so amazing I couldn't help but smile. I danced through the clouds and I felt like I could touch the stars. I climbed higher and higher into the atmosphere until I grew too tired and couldn't flap my wings any more. I found a branch to land on and hung from it with my sharp claws clinging to the wood and keeping me secure in my spot. I was so exhausted that I couldn't move so I wrapped my wings around my small body and curled up drifting off to sleep. I would have a couple hours sleep and then I would find shelter after all, there were still a few hours till morning. I hadn't meant to sleep that long. I was awoken to the strain of my energy holding my shifted form. While Shifting was necessary, we couldn't keep it up without blood, shifting took a lot of energy. Bat used less than wolf did, but we still couldn't maintain the shift for more than a few hours without blood to give us energy.

My eyes shot open and I watched as my wings started to shift back into arms. I realized what was happening much too late and fell from my branch landing hard on the ground. I heard a horrible snapping noise and I knew I had broken my arm. I didn't feel any pain and I knew I would heal quickly but that wasn't my problem. I had slept for much too long. The sun was quickly rising, and beams of its light were peeking through the trees. I got up and heard laughter from behind me. I turned to find Mason hidden in the trunk of a tree, clenching his stomach in laughter. I was embarrassed of my fall and looked down. His laughter suddenly stopped, and he gasped.

"Rose, quickly!" he shouted pointing to the sun that had fully risen over the treetops and was about to cast its harsh beams over my hiding place. I ran at my normal speed not having enough energy to use my super speed. I just managed to dodge the burning golden light, but I didn't have time to relax. The sun was rising quickly, and I needed to find shelter and a place where I can get my energy back. I ran faster than I ever had at human speed, down the forest path. I found the same stream from before and noticed a small cave on the other side. The sun was coming over, I could see the light hitting the water and I knew I didn't have a choice. I ran through the water, the burning sensation of the water pulling screams from my mouth. I screamed but continued across the water until I reached the other side and bolted quickly into the cave. The cave was very small right by the water's edge but far enough away that the pure water wouldn't touch me again.

I settled down and examined the damage. My arm was already healed, and the burns were quickly closing up. The pain left my body and I released a relieved breath. If that was the pain I got from pure water, I would hate to know what Holy Water would do.

I opened my pack pulling out a Blood Bag and drained it in seconds then I licked the bag clean. I was still so hangry I almost tore through my second but then I remembered what Alberta had said. This was my only blood for the next two days and I had to savour it. I took the water bottle and took a huge gulp before lying on the hard stone ground of the cave as I would in my coffin back at the academy. I crossed my arms over my chest and let sleep take over me.

 _I was running through the woods as fast as I possibly could, but it wasn't fast enough. I was so tired I was about to pass out, so I couldn't use my super speed. They were catching up to me, I could hear the branches snap beneath their feet as they chased me through the woods. The tree in front of me was so blurry I couldn't see it. I crashed into it with a grunt and leant against it just to take a short break. Their sent grew stronger as they came closer. I shook my head until I regained my proper vision and took off again through the forest. I could hear their whispers now coming from every direction. I was surrounded. With no other option, I stopped running and dropped into a fighting stance. If I was going down, I wasn't going down without a fight. A figure appeared, dressed in a black hooded jacket that covered his eyes to protect them from hypnotism. He didn't know that that was one of my weaker skills. He lunged with the pointed silver stake raised in his hand ready to plunge it into my chest. I dodged him quickly. He came again I caught his hand before he could hit my chest. He continued to push against me, but I held him back. using a little strength, I pushed him taking the stake out of his hand. The metal burnt my skin, but I refused to scream. I threw it away, so it landed implanted in the ground. I went after him, but before I could sink my fangs into his neck, another one came out. A young blonde girl wearing the same jacket. She lunged but I took her down easily. It was obvious she wasn't the most experienced Slayer. I kicked her, and she flew back into a tree. I heard a noise from behind me and turned to see another one behind me. From what I could tell, he was young with a strong healthy heartbeat. He gripped his stake strongly and came out at me. I went to attack me but this time he dodged me, ducking under my attack. I was caught off-guard and he used my surprise to his advantage. He scratched my skin with his stake. I grunted from the pain but resisted the scream built up in my throat. The old man must have used this destruction to cover himself as he snuck up on_ me _and swung his arm around my throat. He was strong, and I was weak. This tactic of his was very clever because I couldn't bite him or get him from behind. The young Slayer rose up with a smug smirk on his lips. He turned his stake in his hand and I started to panic. With one last attempt, I tried to shift into a bat, but nothing happened. There was no hope for me now as he plunged his stake deep into my chest and pulled it out with a sick smile on his face._

With a gasp, my eyes shot open and I abruptly sat up, hitting my head on the roof of the cave.

"Ow," I groaned, gently rubbing the spot on my head. I looked out of my cave to see the sun had started to set and the sky was stained with bright colours. It was early in the Vampire world, but my dream had woken me up and I doubted there would be any chance for me to get a few more peaceful hours. I pulled myself out slowly makings sure I avoided the water. I looked around using all my senses to see if any of my peers were nearby. No. I must have run further than I thought because I was right at the edge of the woods and there was no one else for a mile away. I left my cave with my pack on my back, hoping I could find a better place to sleep, one with a bigger space so I wouldn't hit my head.

I took off, tracing the same trail I had taken last night. I remembered it pretty well considering I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going. I found the tree I had fallen from by looking at the messed-up ground and from there I went to where I had seen Mason. From the outside, his tree looked hollow but when I looked inside I saw him hanging like a bat but in his natural form, with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes shut tight. I watched him a for a couple of seconds before a wicked idea popped into my head. I smiled as I shifted into a wolf and gave a large howl into the tree. The sound echoed and bounced off the trunk. Mason's eyes flashed open in alarm and he fell as I had last night with a crash into the trunk. I burst out laughing as I shifted back, and he shot me a vicious glare when he saw me.

"What was that for?" he asked in a whiney voice.

"Revenge," I started. "And because it was funny." He glared even more as he stood up and brushed the leaves from his clothes. He Quickly climbed out of the trunk and stood before me with a dangerous look on his face. I tried to be serious, but it was hard, and I couldn't help the giggles from escaping as I looked at the state of his hair.

"What?" he asked clearly annoyed. I didn't say anything. I just reached up and pulled the leaf from his messed up red hair. He looked at it and laughed with me. When we had finally stopped laughing Mason gave me a friendly smile meaning he had forgiven me.

"Come on," he said pulling my hand.

"Where?" I asked.

"Up," he responded looking up to the tree. He shifted quickly, and I followed behind him as we flapped up to the treetops to the thickest branch. We both shifted back and sat side by side watching as the painted sky faded to black.

"Glad to see you're not a pile ash yet, and still in the woods Hathaway," He said.

"Please, you know me, I'm not a quitter." He chuckled at my statement running a hand through his thick hair fixing the tangles back to their normal state.

"Any news on the others?" I asked.

"I heard three dropped out because they were scared of the woods only an hour after we were out," Mason told me.

"Wow. If they can't handle it now how are they ever going to be able to leave the academy?" I asked.

"I know. Eddie told me about eleven dropped out as the sun was rising. They couldn't find a spot and so they had to use their shields. The teachers came and picked them up once the sun was just over the mountain." Wow, another eleven gone and it hasn't even been twenty-four hours.

"Eddie? When did you see him? you're the only one I have seen around here," I told him.

"I haven't seen him. He just told me," he said pointing to his head. Oh. Eddies strongest ability was Telepathic Thought. He could talk to people through thoughts. I could do that reasonably well, but Lissa was better. She could talk to me in full conversation while I could only do short responses. It came in handy for tests, although they supposedly could tell when we were doing it, I had never been caught.

"Oh," I responded.

"Yeah, I know. At this point, only half of us will pass this test."

"Well you can count on me not to back out," I told him.

"I know. You'll be the last one to leave. You love the freedom too much." It surprised me sometimes how well Mason knew me. He was my best guy friend, but he knew more than even Lissa sometimes. He brought out his pack and brought out his blood bag piercing it with his fangs and draining about half of it. My throat constricted when the scent of blood flooded my nose. As he put the rest back in his back I felt a pang of jealousy because he had so much blood left. I coughed pulling myself out of my blood-crazed daze.

"Aren't you going to finish it?" I asked half hoping he would say no and offer it to me.

"Yeah, I'm saving it for later." He told me. I was jealous of the people like Mason who could control their thirst to only have half and not want to drain the bag and lick it clean as I did.

"Smart," I simply responded.

"How much do you have left?" he asked.

"One bag. I really needed a good feed after what happened yesterday." I responded.

"Yeah, that was a close one."

"I know. I am going to be more careful today," I promised.

"I hope so, I don't know what I would do if I couldn't see your beautiful face every day." Mason liked to flirt. He flirted with me a lot and I flirted back because I knew we would only just be friends, but sometimes, his flirts seemed more than just fun. when I didn't respond, he leant in. I couldn't move for a second but as he got closer I turned my head and he kissed my cheek. He sighed as he pulled back.

"Sorry Mason, but I think we are better off being friends so we don't complicate things," I told him honestly.

"That might be hard. Things are always complicated with you," he muttered.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, this doesn't have to be complicated. I like you, Rose, as more than just a friend. It is that easy just telling each other the truth." He was right. I needed to tell him the truth. He deserved it.

"Look, Mason, the truth is-"I started but he cut me off putting a finger to my lips.

"Shh," he whispered.

"What?" I whispered.

"Shh," he repeated and gestured to his ears. I listened for a moment, but I couldn't hear anything, but just as I was about to speak again, I heard it. The snap of a branch. I turned squinting my eyes, searching through the trees. Mason tapped my shoulder and pointed to a spot in the forest. I followed his line of sight until my eyes found its target. I followed it as it moved slowly through the wilderness until it eventually reached a clearing and I could see it clearly. I almost gasped as I noticed the figure dressed in black with the hooded jacket that haunted my dreams. The shiny object in his hand confirmed my suspicions and I knew, we were all in danger. The Slayers had come to town.


	4. Chapter 4

I felt panic rise in my chest as the realization hit me and sent my body into a shaking fit from the wave of terror as it crashed down on me. I had never seen a Slayer, and I hoped never to encounter one. Our kind hardly did, we were careful, it was usually the DarkBloods that caught their attention and ended up staked by the curious humans. Unlike the DarkBloods, our kind is clever, and we have managed to blend into a regular society. We learnt how to hide our differences by wearing contacts, retracting our fangs, avoiding garlic and the sun. it had always worked for us. To humans, our school was an elite college that was very hard to get into. We even had a fake website with pictures photoshopped to make us look normal. It keeps humans away from us and keeps us separated from them.

"Slayers," Mason hissed with his fangs bared. He went to leap off the branch, but I held him.

"No, wait."

"What? We have to stop them," Mason growled, the red in his eyes glowing with rage.

"No, they think they have the element of surprise on their side, but they don't. Get in touch with Eddie and tell him to warn everyone, I'll track them," I told him.

"No, Rose, I'll come with you."

"I need you to contact Eddie. You are better at telepathic communication than me. Besides, I'm faster. I can follow them and make sure they don't get close to the school border." He opened his mouth to object, but I cut him off. "Please, do it for me," I said and instantly he closed his mouth and nodded. I leapt from the branch and fell to the ground.

"Be safe, Rose," I heard Mason say. I sprinted off at full speed but careful not to make any noise as I dashed through the bushes. I caught up to them quickly and stalked them carefully from a close distance. They were moving quickly through the trees but hadn't come across any of my classmates. I kept a careful eye out for anyone near them, but Mason must have gotten word to Eddie because the area was clear. I hoped that all my friends were safe hiding far away from the trespassers. They stopped about halfway down the mountain and crowded around something hiding it from my sight. I moved closer to get a look, but I didn't need to. They stepped away and I saw they had made a small campfire. It seemed they were planning to spend the night, that was until I saw them all taking a few steps back until they were far away from the fire. My confusion grew until I saw one of them with his hood down showing off his weathered middle-aged face and balding head, pulling out a bottle with a liquid inside. He smiled smugly as he chucked it into the flame. On impact, the flame doubled in size and spread attacking its flames to branches and travelling from tree to tree through the forest, setting it ablaze. The man pulled his hood up and brought up his stake.

"Move out!" he commanded and they all tore off in different directions through the trees. A slayer ran past me without noticing me and I released a sigh in relief. My relief didn't last long before the flames started making their way towards my hideout. I scrambled to my feet and sprinted quickly away from the branch.

While not on our weakness list, fire kills us just as it would anyone else and they were no coming back for a vampire after turning to ash. I fled back the way I came hoping to reach the stream where I could hide out safe from flames in my cave. I hadn't made it too far before I crashed into a figure and we fell into a pile of leaves with a grunt. I Looked up in terror but found Mason holding his head.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked him.

"I had to follow you, make sure you weren't getting staked." He argued.

"I told you to warn Eddie."

"I did. He has already warned all the others and they were all hidden in the middle of the forest far away from the slayers until the fire started. It got to them quickly and they all spread out. it's payday for the slayers. They can just pick us off one by one out here," said Mason.

"We have to get everyone and head back to the school. We'll be safe there," I told him.

"Most of the others have already started heading back but some are caught in the flames."

"What? We have to help them," I exclaimed.

"We will," Mason told me holding my face with his palm in an affectionate way. I was brought back to what I was going to say back on the branch but shook it away. Now was not the time.

We ran off together back through the trees. I heard screaming and followed it to find a girl from a couple of my classes stuck in a net trap. The trap meant something. The slayers knew we would be here and they had prepared. Mason and I managed to cut her down just as the flames were approaching. We ran off again and she headed for the school while we continued to search for others. We had managed to help seven of our classmates before the forest becomes completely engulfed in flames.

"I think that is everyone," said Mason. I scanned the forest one more time and nodded in agreement.

"We should head back," I shouted. We heard sirens and saw the flashing lights. The fire truck was here and so the slayers would have to flee or risk getting caught answering questions. I turned back to Mason. He nodded but his eyes widened as he looked behind me.

"Rose, look out!" Mason warned but it was too late. The memory of my dream came back as an arm came around my neck and lifted me into the air. I Panicked for a moment, but it didn't last long as I was thrown to the ground. Mason came to me and helped me to my feet. I turned to look at the slayer who was now clutching his arm now twisted at an awkward angle. It looked broken and judging by his grunts of pain, I guessed it was. Mason Didn't care, as he approached him with a ferocious look in his eye. Mason Lashed out with an attack but it was sloppy, and the Slayer threw him off easily. I didn't let him recover, I leapt out on him. we struggled for a while but even with one arm, he was strong. I managed to scratch him in the face drawing blood on my nails. He cried out in pain and threw me off him. I hit a tree trunk and fell to the ground with a thump. I looked up to find the slayer touch where I scratched him. he looked at the blood I had caused and growled in fury. He pulled out his stake and pulled down his hood exposing his face. When I saw his face, I froze. He smiled knowing he had surprised me. Those eyes, the last time I saw them they were filled with care and concern. Now they were only filled with hate. The smile that had made my heart beat faster than ever before, now twisted in a vicious way. He smirked the same smirk that had driven me crazy.

"Hello, Roza. Miss me?" Dimitri.

Mason looked between the two of us, a look of pain on his face. He shook it away and growled as he ran at Dimitri. He threw Dimitri into a tree. Dimitri slackened against the tree with his eyes shut. He was unconscious. Mason stalked towards him fangs bare and went in for the bite, but he froze just as he took the first bite. I heard him gasp and then he fell onto Dimitri before turning into ash. I screamed in horror as I saw the stake in Dimitri's hand and masons blood on the tip. The ash was quickly flying away with the wind as reality set in. He staked Mason. He killed Mason. He killed one of my best friends.

I couldn't see straight as rage flooded my vision. I saw red as I ran up to Dimitri. I kicked the stake out of his hands far away from him. I picked him up and threw him as he did me and Mason. The smell of blood Flooded the air and I knew he was dying, still, I couldn't stop. I was so angry. For the first time in my undead life, I let the tears flow. Blood leaked from my eyes, but I didn't wipe it away. I knew it made me look even scarier, especially to a human. Dimitri came closer to death as I unleashed my rage on him. Eventually, I became too exhausted that I couldn't fight him anymore. The flames were already dying down and extinguishing themselves in the charcoal they had created. I sunk to my knees on the black burnt ground by his side. His face was bruised, and his left eye was already swollen. I didn't feel any guilt for what I had done. He deserved it. He killed Mason. He murdered my friend. It seemed that was all I could focus on. He turned his head and coughed blood onto the dirt. I knew he was dying, he only had minutes left.

"I always knew you were evil. You hid it so well you almost had me fooled. But I can see clearly now, just how evil you are."

"You killed my friend," I hissed at him through gritted teeth.

"He had to go. His soul will be free now from the monster that held it captive."

"You killed an innocent. Who is the real creature of evil here?" I asked. With his last breath, he looked at me and said the words that would haunt me forever.

"All vampires must die," he choked it out, but I heard him clearly. A second later, he was gone. His heart stopped beating and his breathing stopped. The rage left my eyes and looked at his face. It was bruised but I could still see the same face that had made me blush when he smiled. The same eyes that turned my legs to jelly and the same lips that I had kissed. I tried to deny it, but I liked him. Even though he was a human, even though he was a slayer, I liked him. It was weird, but I felt a connection when we had first met and now even though he was dead, I could still feel it. I didn't know what to do, he was dead there was no way to change that, unless… time was running out, I had to decide.

"You're wrong," I started once I had finally made up my mind and there was no changing it. "Not all vampires must die, and I will show you." I leant in and bit deep into his neck. His hot blood flooded my mouth and ran down my throat. The feeling drove me crazy and I bit deeper. My venom woke Dimitri as I continued to drain him. Dimitri screamed which only made it feel better. I kept drinking and Dimitri passed out again. I heard a voice in my head. I knew it was my voice but there was something twisted in the way I sounded as it spoke to me urging me to drain Dimitri.

 _Go on. Feast. It is amazing, isn't it? Feel the strength his blood gives you. you could feel this every day, just finish the human and you will be complete._

I did as the voice commanded and kept drinking.

 _That's it. Feed. Feed!_

I wanted to keep going, but a part of me told me this was wrong. I had to stop. I had to stop before it was too late. I forced myself to pull away. His blood covered me from head to toe. Hot and sticky and so addictive. A part of me wanted to dig my fangs in and keep going until he was fully drained. I could hear his heartbeat back, faint and uneven in his chest. He was going again but I couldn't let him. I bit my wrist drawing my own blood. It ran down my wrist down my arm in black and red thick cold streaks. I put my wrist to Dimitri's mouth and squeezed my blood into him. I squeezed and squeezed until I felt half drained myself. I pulled back and let my cut heal its self in seconds, then I waited.

The Owl's call in the early morning was what alerted me that the sun was starting to rise. I had to hope Dimitri would wake up soon or else I would have to find shelter. I waited, staring at Dimitri as the change started. The bruises faded, and his face was back to normal. His skin was pale, and his heart was beating strong again. it was only a matter of time now. the sun was still an hour or so from appearing over the mountain, but we had been told that the change can sometimes take a while. It depends on how strong-willed the person was. I waited, holding my breath in anticipation but nothing happened. I gave up hope and started to turn to leave when I heard a gasp. I turned quicker than lightning to Dimitri who was wide awake with wide red eyes. I smiled in relief. It worked. Dimitri's eyes scanned the forest until they found my face and locked with mine. I had taken a few classes on the transformation from human to vampire. If a human knows too much, we have to hand them over to the vampire council to either be turned or to be a feeder. It was rare that vampires turned them themselves, but they still teach us what to do at the academy. A human turned Vampire is called a half-fang and will only have half the abilities of a born vampire. They would be strong but not as strong, fast but not as fast, weak hypnosis and simple shapeshifting ability. When a human is first awakened, they forget what happened just before they were turned. Their thirst for blood drives them crazy and they basically turn into animals trying to get it. After given blood, only a small amount of them can control their urges to stay with the regular vampire society but most of them turn to the Dark Bloods and feast on every human they can get their hands on. Dark Bloods cannot change a human into a Vampire, that's why they rely on us to either turn into one or to change humans that will. Half fangs still have all the same weaknesses as us but don't have the same abilities that help them to survive.

Dimitri sat up, fangs long and bare. His red eyes were blazing, and he grabbed my wrists hard.

"Blood," he hissed. "Blood!" He repeated with a demanding tone in his voice. I nodded pulling my pack from my back and digging around until I found the blood bag. He snatched it quickly and started to drain it quickly. He was drinking it too quickly and I snatched it from his mouth. He snarled and growled at me, but I gave him a deadly glare forcing my red eyes to glow with power and authority.

"Slowly. You have to drink it slowly. I can take you to a place and you can get more but you need to control your thirst." He scowled but slowly nodded in agreement. It was ironic I was telling him to control his thirst. I gave it back to him but kept a hold on it to control how quickly he drank it. It was gone a few minutes later and I could see Dimitri looked more controlled, but he was still savagely hungry. I couldn't take him to the feeders until he got his hunger under control or else he would drain them. I held him holding the bag like feeding a baby with a bottle.

His breathing was heavy once he had finished squeezing the blood from the bag. He opened his eyes and met mine instantly.

"Rose?" he asked through pants. "What happened?"

"It doesn't matter now. come on, we have to get out of the woods before the sun rises" I helped him to his feet and pulled him. he tripped a few times as we ran, not used to the superspeed. I had to go at a quarter the speed I was used to, and I was still too fast for him. he finally managed to get the hang of it as we ran up to the gates. Teachers stood at the front gates waiting for students to come back. I was probably on that list, but I couldn't let them see Dimitri. I pulled him to the back gate to the bar which I knew was loose as I had used it a few times to sneak out. I shifted it aside giving us enough room to slide through and once inside I put the bar back and raced us both to my room. Once Dimitri and I were both inside my small dorm room, I locked the door and closed the windows. Dimitri watched me as I zoomed around picking up everything in my room and shoving it into a little corner giving him enough room to sit on the floor. I looked him over noticing the torn dishevelled clothes with dirt and dry blood on his slayer jacket. I looked down at myself and noticed I didn't look that much better. Blood drenched my shirt and stained my skin. I looked like a serial killer or a vampire that just fed. I sped and got changed into sweatpants and a black shirt. Then, I used a little firepower to burn my clothes until there was nothing left but ash and the evidence was gone. I looked to Dimitri again who was still just standing in the middle of the room watching my every movement.

"Um… you need clothes," I started, and he looked down at his shredded attire. "Stay here, I'll be right back." I ran out into the living room and ran down to Mason's room. I had snuck in a few times to know how to open his door. the door unlocked, and I walked in unprepared for the sadness that flooded me when I saw his room and remembered what happened. I had saved his killed and brought him back with me. what was wrong with me? I should have just killed him and left him in the woods as he did Mason. But I couldn't. I was a vampire, but I couldn't kill him. it wasn't just him, I couldn't imagine killing anyone, but I also knew Dimitri and that is what made it harder. I killed him, but I couldn't leave him. I awakened him and now he was my responsibility. I was his sire. I ran around finding the clothes mason owned that would actually fit him. it was hard but thankfully, Mason liked wearing baggy clothes. With my hands full I made my way back to my room. I was just out front of the door when I was attacked. The clothes fell from my hands as I was tackled to the floor in a hug from my best friend who was squealing in my ear.

"You're alive!" she cried out in relief. "I thought something had happened to you but, you're okay."

"Yeah, Liss, I'm fine," I said with a groan. She got off me and helped me to my feet.

"You weren't here with everyone else and I was worried a slayer got you," she exclaimed. Then she looked down at my feet. "What are you doing with all these clothes? Aren't these Mason's clothes?"

"Yeah, he… He didn't make it. A slayer staked him," I told her.

"What? Oh, Rose, I am so sorry. I know how close you were," she said hugging me again. "What are you doing with his clothes?" she asked pulling back from the hug. I looked away and started to pick them up avoiding her eyes.

"Um… well. A lot of things happened out in those woods and um… I had to do something, and I know I shouldn't have but," I rambled as I collected each item of clothing off the floor and into my arms.

"Rose, out with it already," she ordered. I sighed and opened the door revealing Dimitri. She gasped in horror as I walked in. she quickly followed and closed the door behind her.

"You had better explain right now," she whispered through gritted teeth.

"I will, I promise. But first, he needs to change and get some blood," I said gesturing to Dimitri. Lissa looked him over and sighed.

"I still have a bag in my room, I'll go get it while he changes. Burn his clothes, Rose, they smell like human blood." I nodded, and she left. I picked out a pair of jeans that looked the right size and a short sleeve black shirt. The shirt was tight on him showing off his muscled torso and I wasn't complaining. The jeans, on the other hand, we the right size but the wrong length. His ankles were bare, and he looked like a child in an old English musical. Lissa came back and almost burst out laughing from the sight. She managed to hold it together and choked back the giggle.

"I thought they were the wrong size, so I stole a pair of Christians. They are too big for him, so it should work, and Christian won't notice their missing," I thanked her, and Dimitri changed quickly. The jeans were still a little too small but were much better.

"They will have to do, we'll get you a uniform and have a look through lost property tomorrow. We won't be able to go to the mall until the weekend." I told him and then, I gave him the blood bag and told him to drink it slowly. He did as instruct and as he drank, Lissa pulled me out of the room and back to Mason's room.

"Explain." She commanded.

"Mason and I spotted the slayers first I told him to warn Eddie and I would trail the slayers. He did tell Eddie, but he didn't stay away. He followed me. when the fire started we went off to help everyone else who was stuck or trapped. I think we got everyone but then a slayer jumped out and grabbed me. Mason attacked him and stopped me for getting staked but instead got himself staked. It was Dimitri. He is a slayer or, I guess, was. He killed Mason. I wanted to kill him, I did. I was just so angry but when I saw him dead, I couldn't just leave him. no matter what he did or how angry I was, I couldn't leave him dead in the woods because…because…"

"Because you like him, Rose. You like him a lot, even when he was human or a slayer, you liked him. I understand Rose, but how could you turn him? Surely there must have been another way?"

"There wasn't, he was dead, Lissa. Really dead."

"Are you going to report this to the vampire Council?"

"No, they can't know about this," I argued.

"Why? You know we have to report any human awakenings."

"I know but he wasn't just human, he was a slayer. We don't turn the slayers, we kill them," I protested.

"And yet, you did."

"I can't tell them, Liss. It will ruin my future as a Night Rider." She nodded in understanding.

"Okay so we don't tell them but what are we going to do?" she asked. It was a good question and one I hadn't found an answer to yet.

"I don't know, Liss but we can't tell anyone not even Christian and especially not Eddie. If Eddie finds out Dimitri was the one who staked Mason, he'll tear Dimitri limb from limb." She nodded agreeing to keep her lips sealed holding my secret.

"So what are you going to tell Dimitri?" she asked. I sighed deeply.

"I can't tell him what happened tonight," I told her.

"What? Rose, you have to," she argued.

"No, he can't know he killed Mason, or I killed him, and he definitely can't know I am his sire."

"No, Rose. You can't lie to him. you have to tell him the truth. He deserves the truth."

"What he deserves is a fresh start as a vampire with no blood on his hands," I said and used my super speed to run back to my room. Lissa followed closely behind and locked the door behind her once we were both inside. Dimitri sat squeezing the last few drops of blood onto his tongue. He looked satisfied and had managed to keep all the blood off his clothes and the floor. He looked up when he saw us and tossed the bag to the side.

"Rose?" he asked. "What happened?" I bent down to kneel in front of him. _Come on, Rose. Just do it. Like ripping off a band-aid, except with a lot more blood._

"You're a Vampire now," I blurted out quickly. I could see in his face that he had already discovered that from the craving for blood, but his eyes flashed with shock at hearing those words out loud.

"How?" he asked again once he had recovered from his shock.

"A Dark Blood," I said. I could feel Lissa's eyes burning holed through me as I lied. "Dark Bloods are evil bloodsucking Vampires."

"Is that what I am?" Dimitri asked.

"No, Dark Bloods are vampires that have turned to the dark side by choice or because of hunger. Vampire Myth has Called them Strigoi, but they are just like us except they have lost their souls and all control of their thirst. They are the true evil Vampires. One turned you and abandoned you, but I found you and stayed with you until you woke."

"What kind of Vampire are you?" he asked.

"We are just the normal Vampires. We do drink blood but only in small amounts that will keep us alive and able to use our vampire abilities."

"Abilities?"

"Yes, Vampires have unnatural abilities like super speed, hypnosis, strength, shapeshifting and more. Unfortunately, we also have our weaknesses so avoid the sun, garlic, fire and stakes," I explained.

"Stakes. I held one. I killed Vampires, I was a slayer," he told us.

"I know, but that's all in the past now. if you touch a stake it will burn you same with holy water and pure running water." He gulped.

"How long will I be like this?" he asked.

"Forever," I told him. "We are Immortal."

"Forever?" he asked. "I have only been a vampire for an hour and yet it feels like an eternity," he told me.

"I know, but trust me, time fly's by."

"How long have you been like this?" he asked.

"Lissa and I are both full Vampires because born from Vampire parents, but we were only given our full Vampiric powers last year. You were turned so you are a Half Fang. Only half true Vampire and the rest of you is still human. Our weaknesses still hurt and kill you, but you only have half the abilities we have, and you can still eat Human Food without needing blood. We can eat human food but only in small portions or we get sick," I explained.

"So that's why you were so full after the small dinner, I was still starving," he said adding a laugh at the end.

"You remember that?" I asked.

"Yeah. I can remember almost everything, except for what happened before I was turned. That part is still hazy," said Dimitri. I let out a breath of relief and turned to Lissa who was giving me a pointed look. I turned back to Dimitri to find him staring right at me as if he could see into my soul. He shook his head bringing him back to focus.

"It's getting late and you need some sleep before tomorrow. It's best if you stay here with us, usually newly turned Half Fangs are to be delivered to the council. The council chooses a few special ones and throws the rest out into the world where they either die or lose their soul and join the Dark Bloods. You'll have a better chance of survival here and you will be able to learn how to control your powers."

"Rose, are you insane?" exclaimed Lissa. "You can't just enrol him here. He'll never graduate, and he only has half of our abilities how is that not going to look suspicious?"

"We can fake it. But there is no way I am letting him out just yet. First, I need to teach him the basics and make sure he at least knows how to act like a real vampire."

"Rose, you cannot hide him here in your room," Lissa argued.

"Yes, I can and I will. How do you think it will look if he is enrolled the day after the incident? He needs to stay hidden for a while." Lissa seemed to understand my decision. She quickly hugged me and left back to her room for some much-needed sleep. she promised to tell Alberta and the others I was alive if she passed them. The door shut behind her leaving just me and Dimitri in an awkward silence.

"You can take my coffin tonight, you probably need more sleep then I do,"I told him. He nodded. I snapped my fingers and the coffin opened. Dimitri didn't say a word as he climbed inside and the lid sealed him in.

When it was finally silent, I noticed how tired I was. with a yawn, I crawled my way up a wall to the ceiling where I found a sturdy wooden beam and hung myself upside down with my arms folded across my chest. With one last yawn I closed my eyes and drifted off into a death like sleep until the sun went down.

 _ **SORRY EVERYONE NOT AN UPDATE JUST AN EDIT. I DIDN'T LIKE THIS ENDING AND IT DOESN'T WORK WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER. PROMISE TO UPDATE SOON :)**_


	5. Chapter 5

My eyes shot open when I heard a banging noise. I turned my head to the source of the noise to see my coffin bouncing around as Dimitri pounded on the lit trying to get out. I dropped from the ceiling and landed in a crouch position on the ground, barely making a sound, unlike Dimitri, who had probably woken up half the school. I ran to it quickly and easily pulled the lid open. Dimitri sat up casually and I pulled him out quickly before kneeling beside my coffin and examining the damage.

"Careful, this was a very expensive mahogany coffin and I do not need a Skylight in the roof," I told him as I checked the lid for cracks in the wood or damage to the red velvet lining.

"Sorry, I couldn't get out, I thought I was trapped," he apologised and came beside me to inspect the damage.

"Maybe you should have tried the other side of the lid where the hinges aren't. It's alright, she'll be fine," I said and closed the lid and wiped my golden nameplate with the date of my transformation neatly written in cursive beneath my name.

"She?" Dimitri asked raising an eyebrow. Damn, I wish I could do that.

"Coffins are like ships, they are all girls and you treat your women with respect," I joked standing up and brushing my hands together clearing the dirt from them.

"You don't have to tell me. I live with five women, my mother, grandmother and three sisters," he said with a happy smile, but it dropped a moment later. "I did," he corrected, and I felt a pang of guilt hit me. I shook it off quickly.

"I have to get ready," I announced and made my way to my wardrobe.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"We have to go talk to Alberta before classes start," I said pulling him out of the coffin. I quickly changed into a red long sleeve off the shoulder shirt and a pair of black leather leggings. Dimitri was already changed as he had nothing else and slept in his clothes. I pulled on my boots and tussled my hair as I did every morning before racing out the door and pulling Dimitri with me. once outside, I walked at a normal pace for Dimitri's sake, not mine. Stan rounded the corner as we did, and his eyes widened with surprise.

"Rose, good to see you actually walking for once," he said arrogantly.

"Well Stan, sometimes a girl has to take a break from rule breaking and let loose. I'm giving myself the week off," I Joked.

"Well maybe you should give yourself the year off," he countered. He Looked past me to the giant hiding behind me. "Who's this? I have never seen him around here before. Found a new friend, Rose? Let's hope you don't corrupt him into your rule-breaking ways."

"No, Stan. I'm going to be a good example for Dimitri here to follow. He's new, we are just going to see Alberta to get him enrolled," I explained hoping Dimitri would see our friendly interaction and see that we weren't evil as he had been taught.

"Shouldn't you see the headmistress about those issues?" Stan asked.

"You know, Kirova. She's a stubborn beak nosed cow. It takes a lot to convince her but approval from Alberta usually works."

"I'll let that comment slide seeing as you aren't breaking any rules today. Hurry up and get to Alberta before breakfast. I'll see you later Rose and you too Dimitri, I hope they let you in."

"Thanks," said Dimitri as Stan passed and headed down the hall. We continued on our way to Alberta.

"He seems nice," Dimitri stated. I had to choke back my scoff at his comment.

"That's him in a good mood," I said. "Trust me, he is a real hard ass. He's a good teacher but he is very strict." We rounded a corner and turned into Alberta's office. She sat in her desk chair with a huge stack of papers on her desk and a clipboard in her hand. Before I could knock, she looked up and smiled putting the clipboard on her desk and walking over to embrace me.

"There you are. You didn't come back with the others. Most people said you were dead, but I knew there was no way, Rose Hathaway wouldn't make it out," Said Alberta. When my mother died I was dropped off here. All the teachers looked after me, but Alberta treated me like the daughter she never had. She was the closest thing I had to a mother and I loved her.

"Where's Mason?" she asked, and my happy mood instantly dropped as images flooded my head of what happened last night. "I knew he would never leave your side." I looked to Dimitri who was scanning the room.

"Mason didn't make it," I said as I turned back to Alberta. "We ran into a slayer and he was staked, but Mason did manage to beat him half to death and he went out fighting and as the hero, he always was," I told her.

"Oh, Rose. I am so sorry. I know you were close." She said hugging me again. I held back my tears and when she released me I turned to Dimitri.

"Alberta, this is Dimitri. He is new and needs to be enrolled here," I told her.

"Rose, trying to break the rules again?" she asked.

"Not break, bend," I told her.

"I see. Hello Dimitri, you look a little old, how old are you?" she asked. I turned to him and mouthed. He watched my lips carefully and mimicked them perfectly.

"In human years I would be eighteen," I smiled and nodded discreetly.

"Maybe it's your height," shrugged Alberta. "I can hear a faint accent in your voice, where are you from?"

"I am from Russia. My parents were killed a couple of years ago and I came here. I met Rose last weekend and she told me about this place, so I decided I should come here so I can learn to control my abilities. I know my timing isn't perfect, but I didn't know about the incident until last night when Rose Found me after escaping from the slayers." He recited what I had told him last night perfectly and his acting was so realistic I almost believed him.

"You're right, the timing isn't great, but no one could have known this would happen." Said Alberta. "You will have to go talk with the headmistress but I'm sure I can convince her to make the right decision," Alberta said with a wink. I thanked her, and we went to leave but I stopped in the doorway.

"What will happen with Mason?" I asked.

"There will be a memorial service for all the students we lost. We know for certain we lost eight last night, but some are still missing and others like you are only just starting to come forward now. Masons room will be packed up and everything will be sent back to his mother." I nodded understanding. I hoped there would be something else that would just be a private thing for Mason, but with nobody and no ashes to scatter, we could not have a proper funeral service for him. Dimitri and I left and made our way to the headmistress's office. While Alberta loved me and was like a mother to me, Kirova loathed me and was like that creepy aunt you only see once a year who tells you stories of the good old days when she was a young whippersnapper.

Kirova sat behind her desk with her long beak-like nose stuck in a thick book on vampire law. She had read that book so much that it was basically her bible. Her long freshly painted red fingernails tapped on the mahogany wood and echoed off the walls sounding like rain hitting the roof. I knocked, and she stopped tapping. Without looking up she raised her hand and gestured us in her pointer finger. I went insightfully Dimitri close on my heels. The door shut on its own behind us sealing us in. Dimitri and I sat in the two black leather chairs opposite her desk and waited for her. Any other day, I would have said some snarky comment that would have gotten me a scowl to get her attention, but today, I would be patient as I was asking her for something, which never happened.

She slid in a bookmark and placed the book neatly down on her desk and crossed her hands-on top with her long pale fingers intertwined.

"Do my eyes deceive me? Or is Rose Hathaway really here willingly and without the escort of a teacher?"

"Your eyes must be working fine because here I am. You do have amazing eyes, for an ancient." I said trying to put a bit of hypnotism into my words to butter her up. Kirova wasn't an ancient as she liked to tell people. She was barely a century old and didn't look a day over thirty. After the transformation, most vampires don't age physically but as they mature they start to change which makes them look older. Ancients are vampires who have lived for over two centuries. They are very respected and more powerful than us. Ancients are the true prize for the slayers, and they spend their whole lives hunting them to keep their ashes as a trophy. Ancients are good at hiding themselves well, that's how they managed to become ancients. Ancients abilities change to more advanced levels, they can turn to smoke, density shift and shapeshift into people instead of just animals. They also require a lot more blood but can control their cravings to keep them from changing into a Dark Blood. Kirova's lips pulled into a small smile showing off the tips of her fangs.

"Alberta has already informed me of your intentions so save the sucking up for another teacher." She turned away from me and looked to Dimitri with a smile that made her look older than her physical age. The look she was giving Dimitri made me uncomfortable and I clenched my fist hard to stop me from doing anything stupid.

"Miss Hathaway, you may go. I would like a word with Dimitri," she said. Her tone when she said Dimitri's name was low and It sounded like she was flirting. I looked at Dimitri and he nodded. I hesitantly stood up and walked out the now open door. I stood in the doorway and opened my mouth to protest but the door slammed shut in my face almost hitting me. I left slowly making my way for the dining hall. Lissa spotted me when I walked, and I ran over to me.

"Where's Dimitri?" She asked.

"With headmistress Kirova," I said in an annoyed tone.

"Shouldn't you be with him?"

"I was, she kicked me out wanting some alone time with him," I growled. "I'm worried, Liss. What if she gets the truth out of him somehow?"

"Don't worry, Rose. You prepped him. He knows what to say and even he doesn't know you're his sire."

"What if she uses hypnosis on him?" I asked.

"Worry about that when it happens. Just relax and wait," she said with a calming tone. "Are you hungry? I can come with you to the feeders if you want," she said. I shook my head.

"No. If I put anything in my stomach I'll just throw it back up. I'll eat later." She nodded pulled me over to the table with our friends. I looked around to see the Hall was mostly empty with only a few people at tables like ours. Mia sat with her hands in her lap looking down. I looked beside her and saw the empty space where our lost group member used to sit. Sadness hit my heart once again and I looked away to find another empty spot next to me. I turned to Lissa, the worry evident in my voice.

"Where's Eddie?" I asked. Images ran through my mind of Eddie being staked in the woods just as Mason was. No, please. Please. I can't lose him too. Lissa frowned, and I knew she could tell what I was thinking. She took my hand comfortingly.

"He's fine. Alberta came by not too long ago and asked to talk to him. I think it is about Mason." She whispered the last part as the rest of the group didn't know yet. Christian wrapped his arm around her shoulder pulling her close to him. The bell went, and I went to my first class. I passed Eddie in the hall when I was getting my books from my locker. He looked crushed as he walked down not looking at anything, just looking ahead. I wanted to hug him, to tell him everything was going to be okay, but he needed some space right now and some time to mourn his friend. I knew he would talk when he was ready, and I would be there to help him get through it. I got my books and made my way to my first class: speed.

When I walked in the room I froze at what I saw. Dimitri sat at a desk in the official academy uniform with black dress pants, a white button-down shirt with the sleeves pulled up to his elbow and a red tie loosely hanging around his neck. Every girl was looking at him with wide eyes and mouth open. I admit, when I first met him, I was one of them. He was Hot as a human and even hotter as a vampire. His skin still had a little tan in his pale skin making him look exotic to all the other guys here. His dark brown hair was out and messy framing his face in a sexy just got out of bed look, which he kind of did. I stopped staring and made my way inside taking the seat in the chair beside him.

"Hey," he said when I sat down. I looked around and saw everyone turned away from him when they saw us talking and were instead, sending me hateful glares.

"Hey. Good to see you still here." I told him. "What did the headmistress say to you?"

"She just asked me what happened and why I was here. I told her the story we agreed on and she accepted me and gave me a timetable and a uniform. The arms are a little short, so I had to roll them up, but I hope it's okay," he said.

"It's perfect," I blurted out. "Uh... I mean. No one really wears the uniform, we are supposed to but even when we do we don't wear it properly. You'll fit in perfectly here," I said trying to cover up my mistake. "Did she ask you anything else?" I asked changing the subject.

"She asked me what skills I had. I told her I was still developing, and I was behind in my abilities," he told me.

"And she still let you in?" I asked. He nodded.

"She just recommended I get a tutor," he told me.

"Really? Who?"

"You," said Dimitri in a deeply accented voice that made shivers run up my spine.

"Me?"

"Yup. Looks like you're stuck with me now," he joked. I forced a Sincere laugh but, in my head, I was worried. Sires command their awakened half fang. If I commanded him too much he would eventually find out I am his sire and I know he would hate me. I had to be careful not to order or command him.

"Well, I'll do my best but even with the extra training, you won't have all your vampiric powers."

"I know, but at least with your help, I won't make a complete fool of myself here," he said, and I shrugged in agreement. "Also, the headmistress gave me the same timetable as you because she knows we are close." _Perfect. Just perfect. Transformation will be fun_. I thought sarcastically. The teacher walked in and our conversation ended. As usual, she wrote notes on the board and we copied them into our books, then she made us do a few laps around the school using our speed. As usual, I was the first one back and she smiled at me with pride. Dimitri kept up with us but was still slower then Madison and her pose who hate exercise and purposely run behind everyone else.

"Today I am going to test your speeds," said the teacher as she switched on the treadmill in the corner of the room. The girls groaned and whined as usual.

"Calm down, you don't have to run too much. Just run a mile and I will record your time. This is for your exam, so the examiners know what speed your limit is, so it is important for everyone to do participate. Dimitri, you don't have to because you are new, and you haven't been at an academy like this before." Another part of our lie was that Dimitri's parents taught him from home, but they couldn't teach him everything and when they died he had no one to teach him after his change.

"I'll do my best," said Dimitri. I shook my head, but he ignored me. The teacher read out each person one by one and recorded their top speed. When I was called, I sprinted at my top speed pushing myself to go even faster to make an even more impressive record that I was sure would reach the Night Riders and make them proud. When I was finished, I could tell I had beat my own record judging by the teacher's amazed face. Dimitri was last. I bit my tongue and squeezed my fists as he started. He was slow on the laps, but he was actually faster than I thought. He scored higher than the girls and was sitting right in the middle with the rest of the class. The bell rang, and we made our way out to our next class. Dimitri and I laughed as we walked down the hall recalling how the girls screamed when they had trouble keeping up with the machine and how one even fell off and crashed into the safety mat. I was so glad he didn't drool at them like the rest of the guys here did. They were blond and pretty, but apart from the fangs, they were useless. The only way they could make it out in the world is if they became models and remember to change their appearance, so no one suspects the never changing model. Next class was fire magic. I had always been good at fire even when I was a baby, I was accidentally setting things alight. Christian was the best at fire. He was way ahead of everyone, even the teachers.

Dimitri and I walked in still laughing. Christian sat in our normal spot and was giving me a strange look. I walked over to him with Dimitri behind me. Christian looked to Dimitri and squinted his eyes in a suspicious way. I felt panic fill me as I remembered Christian saw Dimitri and me together after our date. What if he remembered him?

"So, Rose, who is your new friend?" He asked. My panic left as I realised Christian never say Dimitri's face, unlike Lissa. There is no way Christian could have known that Dimitri was a slayer.

"This is Dimitri," I said. Introducing them.

"He looks very familiar," Christian said squinting his eyes at Dimitri again. I tried to come up with a lie but none of them sounded convincing enough to stop his suspicions and with no other option left, I took a deep breath and lent in until our eyes were level with each other. I pulled him in and turned on my hypnotic voice.

"Dimitri is the human I went on a date with, but he wasn't human, he was a vampire in disguise like I was," I said. My voice was low and smooth as honey as I pulled him into my trance. I snapped my fingers and he blinked coming back to normal.

"Oh, that's where I have seen him before," said Christian and he smiled warmly to Dimitri. "Nice to see you, but why are you here?"

"When I ran into Rose she told me of this place and I decided I needed to learn how to control my abilities better, so I came here," he said. His lying was so believable if I didn't know better I would believe him.

"Great timing. You're lucky you didn't come any earlier or you would have been caught in the slayer attack with the rest of us," said Christian. Dimitri held the emotions from his face, but his eyes flashed with guilt.

"Yes, very lucky," Dimitri responded.

"We should take our seats," I said and pulled Dimitri with me into the two seats in front of Christian. Lissa walked in just before the teacher did and sat down beside Christian.

"Where were you?" Christian asked.

"I got stuck in hypnosis trying to snap someone out of clucking like a chicken," she explained. I knew Lissa's timetable like I knew my own and I knew she didn't have hypnosis last period. She should have had air magic but, Lissa was the best at hypnosis and so sure was usually called in to help undo a hypnosis gone wrong. Lissa was so good at hypnosis, she could make anyone do whatever she wanted without actually giving the command and just telling them through her eyes.

"Alright class," said the teacher just once he had finished unpacking his things. "Today we will continue on with what we did the last lesson." I took out my book, opening it up to the last page, Fire casting. The teacher, Mr Elliot, came towards us and stopped in front of Dimitri's desk.

"I was told we had a new student. Try to keep up, I am not going back to explaining the basics and you are very far behind everyone else." Out of all the teachers, he was the one I had no personal connection to. He came only last year and was very strict. I doubt he even knew what fun was. Dimitri nodded and took out his new book. As usual, we warmed up with candles. Lighting a candle was the easiest thing for a vampire but impossible for a half-fang. Candles were passed around to every desk. Everyone took one and lit it was a snap of their fingers. I lit mine and turned to discretely do Dimitri's, but it was already alight. My jaw dropped.

"How did you do that?" I asked in a quiet whisper.

"The same way you did," he answered. "I just snapped my fingers and it lit."

"That's impossible," I told him. "You shouldn't be able to do fire magic. You shouldn't be able to do any magic. Half fangs don't have that ability." I blew out my candle and slid it over to his desk. "Do it again, the same way you do before," I instructed. He snapped his fingers and the candle came alight again. I made him do it a few more times before I finally believed what I saw. He was doing it. I don't know how, but he could do fire. What else could he do? I shook my head trying to erase my shock to evade suspicion. We moved onto fire casting. So far it was easy for me, but I still had trouble maintaining the flame for a long period of time. I put my hands together and focused and when I pulled them apart, a beautiful glowing flame sat between them. I looked to Christian who had already lit his flame and was throwing it around the room carefully. There was a difference between our fire magic and normal fire. We could control our fire magic, so it wouldn't burn us, but we couldn't stop it from catching so we had to be careful. Christian was busy showing off while Lissa was focusing on controlling her flame. I held mine steadily and started to try out some tricks. I threw it around carefully from one hand to the other and even flicked it around my fingers. I started getting more confident and started to chuck it higher, but something caught my eye making me lose my focus and the flame went out. I turned to the glowing heat in astonishment. Dimitri had his flame alight. It was small, but it was bright and alive. the candle was a shock because he shouldn't have that ability, but this was advanced, and he was a newly turned half-fang. It should not be possible. I stopped gawking when I heard the bell ring. I guess I had been so distracted I hadn't noticed what time it was. I packed up my books and Dimitri and I walked out of the room together. I was concerned about his abilities. He could do things half fangs aren't supposed to be able to do. He was also too settled in for a newly turned vampire. From what I had been told, half fangs are supposed to be wild almost savage like. They crave blood so much that they turn animal and that is why most of them become Dark-Bloods. Even the ones who do have strong a will struggle to control their thirst, but Dimitri, two bags of blood and it was as if he was born a vampire. He just seemed way too normal, which was good and bad at the same time.

"What's wrong?" asked noticing my silence as we walked down the hall to my locker.

"Nothing," I told him avoiding eye contact.

"Rose, I can feel the worry radiating from you in waves. Tell me," he said quietly. I looked around, the hall was clear, no one could hear. I sighed.

"I'm concerned. The way you are acting is making me concerned," I told him.

"Have I done anything suspicious?" he asked.

"No. It's what you are that has me concerned. You shouldn't be able to run that fast and you certainly shouldn't be able to do fire magic especially at the advanced level. Also, you aren't feral. You should be so hungry that you would kill for it and yet you seem fine like nothing has changed." I explained.

"Well, I am starving," he admitted.

"That's because you haven't fed today, I am starving as well, but you aren't animalistic like a half-fang should be," I told him.

"And you know this because you have awakened someone before?" he asked. I quickly jumped in.

"No."

"Have you ever seen a half-fang before?" he asked. I hesitated.

"Not in real life. I have in videos in class," I admitted.

"They were probably wrong or they overexaggerated to scare you out of it. It seemed to work because the Dark Bloods are the only ones who change humans."

"Yeah, maybe you are right. But I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. I want to test your abilities later when we have training. I just want to see what you can do. If you are right, this information could change our world." I told him. He nodded in agreement and I shut my locker with my books inside. "Come on, we need to stop at the feeders," I told him.

We walked down the hall to the feeding room. I walked him in and watched him as he fed with my worry gnawing at the back of my mind. He Drank quickly and stopped when they told him to. I should have felt relieved but all I felt was more worry for the unknown. I drank my blood and we headed off to meet the others. Eddie was again absent from our table. I felt my guilt rise and I knew I would have to go see him later. I sat down next to Lissa and Dimitri sat with Christian on the other side. Mia sat beside Lissa rolling a red apple between her hands on the table. The rolling stopped, and the apple fell to the floor with a thump when she looked up and saw Dimitri. She stared at him the same way every girl had been doing all day. Dimitri was oblivious as Christian was talking with him.

"You were very Impressive in Fire magic. Fire Casting almost looked too easy for you. It took Rose over six months before she could create a steady flame," he teased.

"Hey, I could light it easily, I just had trouble controlling it because someone was always distracting me with their showing off," I shot back. Christian smirked at me and I stuck out my tongue.

"Oh, Rose, did you hear?" Christian started. "The head of the vampire council is sending in an expert hypnotist to work with Lissa to test her ability. Guess who it is," he said. I didn't have time to guess before Lissa jumped in.

"It's Adrian Ivashkov," she said excitedly. I groaned. "What? They say he is very good at hypnosis, so he can probably teach me some more tricks. They also say he is very attractive not to mention rich and very charming."

"They also say he is the biggest player with a strong alcohol and smoking addiction. Not my type," I continued.

"Who is your type, Rose?" she asked. I flicked my eyes to Dimitri quickly and shrugged. I didn't know how I felt about him yet. Yes, I had already been on a date with him, but that was when he was a slayer and only asked me out to get information and stake me. I didn't know where we sat now. Friends was a good place to start, besides, sires should never get involved with their Half-fang. A relationship where one is forced to serve and obey another is not a relationship.

"When's Adrian coming?" I asked.

"After the dance on Friday," said Lissa. The bell rang. The last two classes of the day went by quickly as we had the learning period. Dimitri had already been to a normal human school and so he knew a lot of the stuff we were learning but as he read through book after book in seconds and remembered every word, he learnt even more then he did before. He even found a passion for western novels and borrowed the old westerns with the tattered covers even though he had already skim read them twice.

"Why are you taking books out of the library? We have an entire period every day where we can read them."

"For fun. Some people borrow books for pleasure, Rose."

"I can think of tones of things more pleasurable," I muttered. School was over, and Training with Dimitri would start soon. "Go change out of your uniform into the sports uniform and meet me in the gym in half an hour," I told him, and he nodded, and we went our separate ways.


	6. Chapter 6

In my room, I quickly changed into my gym clothes and then packed up a duffle bag with some clothes that I would give Dimitri. After tying my hair into a messy bun, I left my room only to be stopped by a shocking sight. Dimitri was fully dressed in the school's gym uniform, which was also a little too small for him, but that wasn't what shocked me. Dimitri stood in the doorway to what used to be Mason's room and Eddie was glaring at him with a fuming face as he screamed at Dimitri.

"You have no right to be here!" Eddie yelled as his face turned red and his fangs lengthened literally spitting venom with each word he spoke.

"I told you, I was given this room, I didn't have a say," Dimitri said calmly but Eddie was still furious.

"I don't want your excuses! I want you to get your stuff and find another place to stay because this place does not belong to you!" Eddie shouted. A few people opened their doors to watch the scene.

"I can't do that," said Dimitri with an apologetic look. I watched as Eddie squeezed his knuckled until they turned whiter than chalk. I knew what he was going to do before he did and so I unfroze and ran in with my super speed to stand in front of Dimitri and caught Eddie's fist in my hand just as it was about to hit me square in the head. Eddie was strong, but I was stronger. I pushed his hand away and held it in a light lock behind his back. he grunted in pain, but I didn't let go. I leant into his ear and whispered quietly so only he heard.

"Don't cause a scene. I know you are angry and hurting but this isn't how you should get your anger out. Calm down and let's talk," I told him. He struggled in my hold for a bit but relaxed when he knew there was no getting out. I released him after a moment of hesitation and I gestured for him to enter the room. Dimitri moved aside allowing Eddie to walk in and I followed behind closing the door behind me.

"What is he doing here?" asked Eddie once the door was shut.

"This is Dimitri. We met when I went away for the weekend. I told him about this place and he decided to come to learn how to control his powers." I said summarizing the cover story Dimitri and I had created.

"I don't care. What is he doing in Mason's room?" Eddie yelled. Eddie was usually so happy and calm, I was almost scared to see this side of him.

"Eddie. Mason is gone. I know how you are feeling better than anyone, but he is gone, and he is not coming back." Eddie was silent for a minute as he let my words sink in. A silent blood tear ran down his face which he quickly wiped away. Eddie was so strong, even in the hardest of times, he refused to look weak. I moved beside him and pulled him into a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around me and sobbed quietly into my shoulder. I held him as he sobbed and rambled incoherent words into my ear. Eventually, he pulled back with blood streaks stained on his pale cheeks. He wiped them away leaving only a faint red stain behind.

"They cleared it all out. all of his things are gone. I have nothing," Eddie said.

"They sent it to his family for their private funeral service. I know it's hard, but the school is packed, and this was one of the only available rooms left. Dimitri was given this room and there is nothing we can do to change that." Eddie nodded and turned to Dimitri.

"I'm sorry. It isn't your fault he is dead," Eddie said. guilt hit me like a tsunami.

"I understand. It is never easy losing someone you are close to," said Dimitri. I swallowed my guilt by reassuring myself that as long as I was the only one who knew the truth, everything would be alright.

"Dimitri, why don't you go down to the gym I will meet you there," I told Dimitri. He nodded and left leaving Eddie and me alone in Mason's old room.

"When is the funeral?" I asked after a few moments in awkward silence.

"His mother told me it is just going to be a small family service at their house. The academy is having a memorial service tomorrow for the six students who were killed. It won't be personal to Mason or anything, but they are giving us the rest of the week off to mourn. I was thinking our group could do our own ceremony tomorrow, after the service. Maybe share some Mason stories and have our own funeral," said Eddie. When he said that, I knew. I would have to find Dimitri some other clothes. I couldn't give him Mason's. they were the only thing we had left that was his.

"Eddie, before they cleaned out Mason's room, I managed t take these," I said unzipping the duffle bag. Eddie Dug through picking out the shirts Mason wore. They still smelt like him. "Maybe we can use these at the funeral," I suggested. Eddie nodded smiling as he picked up Masons favourite shirt. Vampires had no bodies to bury so when one of our own dies, we bury an item they owned instead.

"Not this one though," said Mason as he held Masons Favourite shirt. "We can keep this one, so we will always remember him." I smiled and nodded in understanding. They were more than just best friends. They were brothers. Closer to family than real brothers. It was the same with me and Lissa. We were bonded in a way that was stronger than blood.

"You should hold onto them, until the ceremony," I told him.

"Thanks, Rose," he said with a small grateful smile. I gave him a small smile in return and we made our way out of the room. "Dimitri seems like a nice guy. I hope I didn't scare him off," said Eddie.

"He is. No, I don't think he will take it personally," I told him. Eddie smiled again and then made his way up the hall with the duffle bag in his hand. I turned and made my way to the gym. When I walked in I found Dimitri lying on a bench with his nose in one of the westerns he borrowed from the library. He was actually reading it, at a slow human pace.

"What are you doing?" I asked. He didn't look at me. he just put one finger in the air telling me to wait. I wanted to say something, but I was just so confused. After a minute or so he put his finger down placing the bookmark in the book and sitting up to face me. "Why don't you just read it at normal speed?" I asked.

"That is normal speed." He argued.

"I meant vampire normal speed."

"I already have three times. This time I want to take it slow and enjoy it," he told me.

"You really like those books, don't you?"

"How could you not. They have everything," he said.

"What do you like about them? The damsel in distress? Because I hate to break it to you but in this day and age, there are no damsels. Girls don't need a man to same them, they can save themselves," I teased.

"I'm sure that is true. Actually no, it's the laws and codes they abide by. I love how they all have to follow the law, but they also have their own codes to follow," Dimitri explained.

"I guess that's why you became a Slayer. Following orders but for personal gain," I said.

"No that's not it at all," Dimitri exclaimed. "What do you know about Slayers?" asked Dimitri.

"Well, we have been told you are just a bunch of humans who know too much either from an encounter with a vampire or an obsession with the old legends. They hunt vampires for the reputation and name it gives them and keeps our ashes as a trophy," I explained as I moved to sit beside him.

"That's half true," he said with a little laugh. "No. Slayers do it not just for the name and the legacy but also because they believe they are protecting the human world from evil. If only they knew there were two types and that Dark Bloods are the real evil creatures. Maybe slayers and your kind could team up to eliminate them."

"Somehow, I don't see that happening anytime soon," I said. Dimitri laughed.

"Yeah, I suppose not."

"Come on. We have work to do." He hopped off the bench and I pulled him towards the new punching bag that had replaced the one I had destroyed. It looked stronger, but I wasn't going to risk breaking another one. "Hit this, lightly at first and then as hard as you can. We are going to try getting you used to your new strength." I told him. he nodded and so I stood behind the bag holding it steady as he struck. With each hit, I could feel his effort growing. I let go of the bag and his next hit sent it swinging into the cement wall leaving a crack behind. He didn't stop. His brow was furrowed with concentration and he didn't notice the damage. With the next hit, I ran in and caught the bag before it hit the wall.

"Okay, I think that is enough strength for one day," I told him. "Come with me, I want to test something." He followed me as we walked out of the gym and down the hall into the Elemental Magic classroom. Each element has its own class, but this class was for beginners where they learn little tricks in each element. I pulled out the equipment: a candle, a cup of water, a flower pot and an electric fan.

"Light the candle," I instructed even though I had already seen him do it. He snapped his fingers the same way he did before and, once again, the candle was lit. I nodded satisfied that I hadn't imagined it, and no one was playing tricks on me. Dimitri really could do the impossible.

"How was that?" he asked.

"Good, let's move on from fire," I told him and pulled the cup over to him. "Water is harder and takes more concentration. If you can't do it, don't force it. We are trying to find out what you can and cannot do," I told him. He nodded and looked at the water. "Lift it up. Watch me," I said and with a flick of my hand, the water rose up until it floated in the air in a sphere like a giant raindrop. I moved my hand again and the water reversed its movements until it was back in the small cup. Dimitri tried next with uncertain hand movements. I laughed and stood behind him and moved his hands with my own. He made the proper moves with his hands with my help and the water rose up. He couldn't shape it into a sphere, but it turned into a small wave that hit the ceiling and then fell down on top of us splashing me and Dimitri. The water fell on me soaking me and making my hair stick to my face in an unflattering way. Dimitri turned to me with an apologetic look. I burst out laughing and soon his face changed from apologetic to amused as he laughed with me. our laughter died down and he smiled sweetly and brushed the strands stuck to my face to behind my ear. Our eyes met, and I felt a flicker of something unfamiliar run through my body. The moment seemed to last forever but it was over very quickly when I coughed and pulled away.

"Okay, let's do air next. Maybe you can dry us," I said and pulled the fan over to him. "You have to pull the air into a shape that you can control. easiest is a tornado but you have to control it to be small unless you want to swallow up the entire classroom. Just watch me." I turned the fan on and instantly cold air hit my face. I swirled my fingers and the air followed until it turned into a small tornado. Once I knew it was safely controlled, I mad it bigger and brought it over Dimitri and me, drying us completely in seconds. Then, I shrunk it and placed it on top of the desk. It swayed around doing movements that almost made it look like it was dancing. Dimitri watched in amazement. I stopped swirling my hands and the tornado burst away and the air separated. Dimitri tried and failed. Air wasn't easy. It took me three years to learn that tornado. "Okay," I started. "let's start with something simpler. Use the air to blow out the candle," I told him. I turned off the fan and he turned to the candle. I showed him the hand movement and he copied it perfectly causing the candle to blow out. he smiled but I could see he was weakening from the magic use. He wouldn't be able to get any more blood until tomorrow, so we had to make sure we didn't overdo it. "Good, how are you feeling?" I asked.

"Great," I could tell he was lying as he forced a smile that was hidden from his eyes. He was getting weak.

'Maybe we should stop," I suggested.

"No, there is only one left," he argued. I looked at the pot plant. Earth wasn't the hardest, but it wasn't the easiest either. I sighed.

"Fine, but take it easy okay?" He nodded, and I pulled the pot over. The flower was already dead and wilted in the centre of the pot but that didn't matter. "You are going to move the earth to get the flower out. that means you have to move all the dirt underneath to free every single root. Just move your hands like this," I said and demonstrated so that some of the dirt cracked and rumbled away. I did about half the pot to make it easier on Dimitri. He followed me but once again, I stepped behind him and moved his hands the proper way. the earth shook and moved away revealing the flowers roots. He had done most of it and I thought I should step in and make him stop before he passed out. before I could move, something in Dimitri changed and his determination grew stronger. He continued, and I wanted as the flower was fully released. Dimitri released the earth and fell back onto me. I caught him and steadied him on his feet.

"I did it," he said weakly.

"You did," my tone sounded amazed and I was. he could do every element even if he was only doing the basics, that was supposed to be impossible. When I thought he was steady, I let go but I was wrong. He fell. I tried to catch him, but I was too late, and he fell to the ground with me landing on top of him. he grunted at the impact and I looked up at his face. His eyes watched me with such intensity and I blushed when I noticed the intimate position we had landed in. I moved to stand up, but he held me down on top of him. I looked at him with a questioning look but that faded when I saw his face. His eyes flicked between my eyes and my lips. Slowly he leant in and unconsciously, I did the same until our lips met in a deep kiss. I thought kissing him as a human was amazing, this was even better. one arm wrapped around my waist and the other dug into my hair bringing me closer and deepening the kiss. My hands rested on his perfectly muscled chest and I splayed my fingers to feel more of the strong muscle beneath. He groaned and released my mouth moving towards my neck. His kisses trained down where my pulse would be beating. I sighed loudly which seemed to drive him on. He continued down to top of my shoulder and kissed slowly and delicately along until he reached my collarbone. My hands dug into him holding on to him for dear life while my legs straddled him beneath me. My Gym clothes weren't exactly sexy, but he didn't seem to care as he lifted the hand that sat on my back and ran it under the hem of my shirt until his hand was on the bare skin of my back and was running up and down my spine as his lips continued to drive me crazy. I had kissed lots of guys before but not like this. I was still a virgin but at this point, I didn't care about that, I just cared about Dimitri and how amazing this feeling was. He slowly kissed up my throat and captured my lips again in a passionate desperate kiss. I bit his lip and he groaned making my confidence lift higher. Without warning, he slipped his tongue in and explored my mouth, his tongue met mine and had a small battle as his hand explored every inch of my back. I explored his mouth with my own tongue. He tasted amazing, better than blood. Better than chocolate. I grew more desperate and opened my mouth wider. Our kisses grew heated and I wanted more. I left his mouth to sit up still straddling him. He looked like he wanted to protest but froze when he saw what I was doing. I smirked evilly and started lifting the hem of my shirt and pulled it off leaving me in a lacy black bra. Dimitri stared openly, and I felt self-conscious under his lust filled gaze. He sat up with me and pulled me back into a kiss. Both of his hands sat on my bare hips and started to travel up. I moved away from his mouth and travelled down his next as he did with mine. I was so lost in the moment that I didn't notice my fangs lengthening until I was about to bite Dimitri. My brain screamed at me, but I wanted to keep going. I wanted to taste his blood again. suddenly his hands found my bra clasp and hit me like a bucket of cold water. I pulled back and forced my fangs back into my gums. I was panting heavily even though I didn't need oxygen. Still straddling him, I picked up my shirt and threw it over my head.

"What's wrong?" asked Dimitri as I stood up off him.

"Nothing," I told him. "I just don't think we should go too far. Especially not in an elementary classroom."

"Right, good point." He said as he stood up and brushed the wrinkles out of his clothes.

"Come on, let's go to dinner," I said, and we left the room. as we walked down the hall, we didn't touch, and I made sure there was space between us. We walked into the dining hall and joined our group at the table. They were already engrossed in conversation, so I pulled Dimitri with me to get our food. as we waited in line, many girls came up and surrounded Dimitri asking him all kinds of questions. They all looked like puppies nipping at his feet begging for a treat. I rolled my eyes and grabbed a tray. My tray was stacked with food and I went to sit down. Dimitri was still preoccupied but I turned my attention away from him and focused on eating my extra rare extra juicy steak. The meet kept me distracted for long enough but when Dimitri sat down next to me, all my focus was shifted to him. I chewed harder and fasted on my steak while squeezing my hands on my knife and fork, but I was startled by a sharp pain.

"Ow!" I grunted with my mouth full. I had bitten my tongue with fangs fully extended. I swallowed the stake quickly along with the metallic flavour of my own blood.

"Are you alright?" asked Dimitri from beside me in a quiet voice. I grabbed my cup of water and nodded as I drank trying to get rid of the taste. I pulled the cup away from my lips and turned to face Dimitri and give him a reassuring smile, but his eyes were still stuck on my cup. I turned to look at it and could see the water had turned pink from my blood and a red stream ran down to the water from where my lips had been. Dimitri turned to me with a questioning look.

"I bit my tongue," I said and stuck it out to prove my story. He looked concerned as he examined the damage. I pulled my tongue back in and shook my head.

"Don't worry. It will heal its self in a minute or two."

"How quickly do we heal?" He asked.

"It depends on the injury and the person. My healing isn't quite as fast, but it is good enough that I can fall from trees and walk away without a scratch. Lissa heals very quickly. Her broken bones can mend themselves in seconds. She also has learnt how to channel it, so she can help others to heal quickly as well. your healing should good but because you are only a half-fang, I wouldn't try breaking your neck just to be safe." I joked but Dimitri didn't look amused. "I just mean we don't know how indestructible you are so don't do anything that could be life threatening to a human," I told him and put my hand on his in a comfortingly way.

"I understand but I'm curious. Is there a way I could be changed back?" he asked.

"You don't like it here? You want to be changed back?" I asked.

"No. I'm just wondering. Is there a way a human can be changed back after they have been transformed?"

"No. once you are changed, it is for life. Forever, there is no going back." I told him. he nodded. "Why did you ask?"

"The legends told us, that if you kill your sire and their bloodline, all the humans they turned vampires will change back to human." I shook my head.

"That's just a legend."

"How do you know?" asked Dimitri.

"Because as I said, true Vampires are born not bitten. Vampire bloodlines can stretch back for centuries. There are ancients out there who have stayed hidden for centuries and are too powerful for any human slayer to kill. My bloodline is shorter. My mother was killed by slayers and my father is probably ash with her. I have no one."

"What do you mean 'probably'?"

"I have never seen my father. I don't even know his name. I assumed someone would have told him about me and that my mother had died and yet he never came. I can only assume he is dead."

"What if he's not?"

"I don't care. Lissa's family was there for me when he wasn't."

"But wouldn't you want to know who he is?"

"No. He abandoned me and my mother. He left me with no one to be raised by this academy. I don't want to know him. I don't want to have anything to do with him," I whisper yelled. Dimitri turned away and started on his food: a huge T-bone steak, rarer than mine was. I looked across and spotted a group of girls on the table across from us who were giggling and whispering while watching Dimitri. I sighed as I turned to Dimitri.

"Why don't you go sit with your fan club?" he looked up to where I was gesturing and smirked.

"They were just being nice, Rose."

"Oh, I'm sure. it must be very nice to have people drooling on you while they run their hands all over you. If that's nice nowadays, those girls are nice to half the school. Hey, maybe if you take your shirt off they will be very nice." Dimitri smirked.

"Are you jealous?" he asked.

"What?"

"You are jealous. If I remember clearly, you were the one who pushed me away." He teased quietly so the others wouldn't hear. It didn't matter. They were all focused on the serious discussion of which magic was better: fire or water. It seemed Christian was winning but Mia wasn't going to go down without a fight. Lissa just sat between them and tried to keep the peace as the conversation grew more heated.

"I am not jealous. I'm just saying, those girls are nice to anyone who looks good and has a foreign accent. They might even give you a nickname, how about… Comrade. Yes, I like Comrade. Maybe I can suggest it to them." I said trying to hide my blush.

"You are jealous Roza. I can see it in your face. Your cheeks are flushed, your eyes are eyes are wide and you're biting your lip." Instantly I released my lip and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear feeling slightly embarrassed. My mind searched through his words trying to find what had made my heart beat faster.

"Roza?" I asked after my brain had recovered from its embarrassment and found it.

"It's your name in Russian. I can do nicknames too Roza." He said growling as he leant in getting dangerously close to my lips. I couldn't help but release the gasp as he was only inches away. If I moved only a little, our lips would be touching.

"Alright," said Eddie, which brought me out of my trance. "That's enough. Both Fire and water are very good elements, but the best element has to be air." And with that, the whole debate started again but this time it was Christian and Mia teaming against Eddie. Lissa sighed and again took the position of peacekeeper. I smiled to myself and turned back to Dimitri. Our previous conversation was gone and was soon replaced with a new topic.

"Come on," I said standing up and taking my tray with me. Dimitri followed quickly and trailed behind me to the cleaning area. We dumped our plates and put our trays back on the rack. I started for the doors out of the room with Dimitri quickly on my heals.

"Where are we going?" asked Dimitri when he appeared beside me.

"We can't go to town until the weekend and you need some clothes to get you through the week," I said, and we made our way down the hall until we made it to the office building. "Here," I said handing him the big tub of lost property. "We'll dig through this and find some things that will get you though. I had some clothes for you, but they wouldn't fit." It was half true. They wouldn't have fit, but they would have worked for a couple of days. The real reason Dimitri couldn't have them because they were Mason's and I had given them to Eddie. I emptied the tup onto the floor and we searched through picking out a few items that would do.

"Where have these come from?" asked Dimitri. I shrugged.

"Some come from students who have left things behind in their rooms when they graduate. others come from students who never got to graduate." I whispered grimly.

"So, your friend Mason's stuff is in here?" he asked.

"No, the academy sent his belonging back to his parents. Like me, there a few with no family and so their belongings are given to friends or brought here." We continued digging through the pile of clothes in silence. By the time we had finished, we each had a handful of clothes that looked like they would fit. Together, we made our way to Dimitri's room. once inside, I dumped the pile of clothes on the foot of the coffin and brushed my hands on my thighs to get rid of the strong smell of boy from the clothes. Dimitri would either have to wash them or drench them in deodorant if he wanted his fan club to drool on him again. Dimitri Dumped his pile on the floor and turned on the light illuminating the room even though our eyes made it easy to see clearly in complete darkness. I guess it was a force of habit for him.

"I should go," I said just as the silence was becoming awkward. There was still a bit of time before lights out, but I think I just needed a break away from Dimitri. He was right, I hated to admit it, I was jealous. I needed some time to figure this out. I moved towards the door, but Dimitri stepped in front of me and blocked my path.

"Rose, about that kiss." Oh, here we go.

"Which kiss are you referring to?" I asked trying to delay and also to look dumb so maybe he wouldn't want to continue with this topic.

"The one right before Dinner."

"Oh, that kiss," I said with a sigh realising he wasn't going to let this go without talking about it.

"What do you think about it?" he asked.

"Well, it was very good. I have got to say you are a very good kisser with a very nice technique. Maybe a bit too much tongue but some girls are into that maybe the next girl will like it more." He smirked and shook his head.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it. What does _it_ mean?"

"It means we kissed, it doesn't have to mean anything more."

"So, it doesn't mean anything to you?"

"I didn't say that. I just said it doesn't have to mean anything."

"It meant something to me," Dimitri admitted.

"It did?" I asked quietly.

"Yes. I like you. I liked you before I was changed. Yes, I knew you were a Vampire and I planned to kill you but even when I knew you were a vampire, I couldn't deny you were beautiful. It seems with my transformation we have gotten closer and I realize how much I like you. That kiss was not just a kiss to me." I was speechless. For the first time in my life, I was at a loss for words. I gulped down my barriers and stepped closer to his, so our bodies were almost touching.

"It meant something for me too. Even when you were human, and it is forbidden, I couldn't hide that I liked you. I liked you even when you were a slayer, that's why I couldn't leave you I those woods. I like you now, but I don't want to distract you. you have a new life, you get to meet new people and learn new skills."

"All the Skills I have learnt have been from you showing me and the only person I want to get to know is you." I knew there was another reason he was pulled towards me. I was his sire; my blood ran through his veins that forever linked us. He would always long to be near me whether for romantic reasons or because I was his creator. I couldn't complicate our relationship, but I also couldn't deny the effect he had on me. when he was near, I longed to touch him even if it was just a finger. He was linked to me because of my blood, but I was linked to him because of my heart.

"I don't want to ruin this comfortable relationship with something complicated."

"Why does it have to be complicated? I like you, you like me. I don't think my feelings are going to disappear anytime soon so let's do something about it." I tried to block out his reasoning, but every word pierced my heart like a steak and weakened my barriers even more. "Let's just try it. How about a date?" he asked.

"I think we have already been on one of those," I joked.

"No, I mean a real date. One where I am not planning how to kill you and we just get to know each other."

"Sorry to tell you but there aren't a lot of dating spots at the academy."

"Then let's go to a restaurant when we go shopping. How about this Saturday?" he asked.

"Oh, I forgot. The dance is this Saturday night." I told him.

"Even better. go to the dance with me and on Sunday we will go shopping and on a proper date." I wanted to fight him, but I couldn't find the right words so instead, I answered:

"Yes." He smiled and leant in to kiss me. I moved back until my back was against the wall and he was passionately kissing me. I didn't want him to stop. He lifted my leg to wrap around him bringing him even closer so there was no gap between us. I wrapped my arm around his neck and dug my hand into his hair. Just as the kiss was getting more heated, the dawn bell rang signalling lights out was in soon. I pulled back and pulled my leg back off him. he met my eyes with questions in his eyes.

"Dawn is coming. I have to get to my room before lights out." Dimitri didn't step away.

"I guess I can't convince you to stay?" I shook my head.

"I'm usually the first person to break the rules but I don't want to go too far too fast." Dimitri nodded.

"Yeah, probably a good idea," he said and stepped away letting me off the wall. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said with one last small kiss on my lips. I smiled and nodded and made my way to the door. I opened it and closed it behind me before backing up to it like I had been on the wall. I closed my eyes as my brain screamed three words at me.

 _'What the Fuck!'_ my brain was angry, and it made me feel guilty. I closed off my mind and thought back to the kiss and instead listened to my heart. I smiled biting my lip and opened my eyes.

"Yup," I agreed as my frown lifted into a smirk and I bit my lip. I needed to think. I got back to my room and looked out the window to see the sun still hidden but the sky was starting to change colours. I still had time. I crawled up the brick wall and onto the roof I had sat many a night. sometimes a little too long. I could still remember the pain of the first time the sun had touched my skin after the blood ceremony. I sat with the wind blowing my hair, calming me instantly. I loved it up here. I could be alone, no one could see me, and I could think. I thought of Dimitri and the Kisses we had shared. I thought about the talk we had but all my thinking was cut short when I hear someone crawling up the wall and joining me.

"Do you come up here a lot?" Dimitri asked. I nodded.

"When I want some peace. How did you find me?" I asked.

"I heard you," he answered.

"Oh, I'll try and be quieter next time."

"I don't mind. Why do you come up here?"

I sighed closing my eyes for a minute. There were no sassy remarks with him. I was honest, but in my own Rose way, I added a bit of bite. "It's the only daylight I get to see."

"The sun burns us, doesn't it? If we touch it, we die?"

"Not exactly, it does burn if it touches us, but we would have to be fully exposed for some time for it to kill us."

"Still, I'll never see the sun again," he said more to himself.

"Maybe, but we still have this," I said gesturing to the pink and orange sky. "And this is much more beautiful."

"You wouldn't understand," he said turning away from me.

"Hey, I do understand." His eyes were on me but he didn't turn his head. "Remember, born vampires are different to the Dark Bloods. We are born with fangs but that is about it. over the years we slowly develop some vampiric powers, but we can't control them. that's what makes us dangerous and that is why we come here. We had no weaknesses when we were younger. We could eat garlic, had a reflection, could touch holy objects, go out in direct sunlight and cross running water. When I was younger, I loved the sun. when everyone was asleep, I would sneak out and sit with my eyes closed facing the sun feeling the heat of its glow warm me and tingle my supernatural skin. I did that every night. It's one of the reasons I have darker skin than most other Vampires."

"What's the other?" asked Dimitri.

"I think it came from my father. I never met him, but I know my mother had pale skin and fiery red hair from her Scottish genes. I look nothing like her, so I can only assume I took after my father."

"I took after my father as well," said Dimitri. "Except for the eyes, I have my mother's eyes." He smiled as he mentioned his mother.

"You said you lived with three sisters, your mother and grandmother," I started. "What happened to your father?"

"He was a rich and powerful man. He visited Russia quite a lot and he met my mother. He liked my mother. All my sisters are his as well. he liked to abuse his power. He would hit my mother. Late at night, I could hear her cried and I hated him for causing her any pain. He would always leave, and we would be happy again for a while, but then he would come back. One day when I was older, I hit him. He stopped visiting."

"Please tell me you kicked his ass," I said. I suddenly had a whole lot more respect for my new half-fang. He smiled.

"I did."

"Is that why you became a slayer. You want to rid the world of violence?"

"No. I became a slayer because of what happened years later. I moved over to America with my best friend, Ivan. We were going to college over here because there weren't many options in our hometown. One night we were out at a party. Ivan was very wasted and was close to passing out. I pulled him out and helped hold him up as we walked home. On the way back, something very fast flew past me and threw me against a wall. I had a concussion, but I could still see clearly as a paled faced monster drank the life from Ivan. I tried to crawl to him and save him, but the monster pulled back exposing its blood-drenched fangs and hissed at me spitting blood in my face. The monster came towards me but before it could drink my blood, it pulled back with a loud wailing scream as a stake pierced his heart from behind. He Stopped moving and crumpled to ash on top of me. I looked up to see an old man with a white beard wearing a black cape looking down at me. He reached out his hand and pulled me up, but I lost consciousness. When I woke up I was on a white hospital bed at the slayers base. They explained what happened and told me that Ivan was dead. I was devastated but they told me he was lucky, he could have been turned and that is a fate worse than death. They told me everything they knew about vampires, trained me and sent me out into the world to look for the creatures of evil responsible for Ivan's death," he explained.

"They were right. Being turned is a fate worse than death if you can't control your hunger and choose to become a Dark Blood." The sun was rising but we still had a little more time before we had to get inside.

"What's the difference between us and The Dark Blood's, apart from the being born part?" he asked.

"Dark-bloods aren't born at all. They are normal vampires who couldn't control their hunger and lost their soul driven Blood mad. We are all given a small amount of blood to keep us alive and give us strength. Sometimes that isn't enough though."

"Have you ever wanted more blood?"

"Every day," I admitted. "But I controlled it because I knew what giving into it meant."

"What happens to the Dark Bloods?"

"They lose whatever part of their soul they have left and become violent killing monsters. Most Newly turned Half-fangs become Dark Bloods because they can't control their thirst when first turned," I explained.

"How did I? I can't remember."

"I was there, I gave you a bag of blood I had for the trip and forced you to drink it slowly. I know how to control thirst, but I was scared that the bag wouldn't be enough. When you demanded more I promised I would get you more if you stayed with me. I knew the blood would take time to reach your empty veins but once it did some of that hunger would vanish and you would be okay. You are still a newly turned half-fang though, so I will have to keep giving you bags until you are enrolled and then you will have to try a feeder. Feeders are humans who know about us and are willingly giving us some of their blood in exchange for the temporary High our venom gives them."

"I was turned by a Dark Blood?" I hesitated before answering.

"Yes," I lied.

"Can we turn humans?"

"I can, you can't. you don't have pure vampire blood. If you could it would create Quarter-fangs and that is basically just humans with slightly superior skills."

"What about children. If I have children with a vampire, it will be?"

"A Pure born vampire."

"And if I have children with a Human?"

"A human with some extra skills. You're half of both. Whatever species the person you have children with will take over the majority of your child's genes."

"So, Vampires grow to become vampires. When did you get your full powers?" he asked.

"I have been at the academy since I was a baby. The teachers here raised me and taught me when they could. I was ahead of almost everyone my age when we started kindergarten. To get our full powers, we have to go through a blood ceremony. A ceremony for everyone who is sixteen by the end of the year where we drink a cup of human blood with a drop of blood from the grand high vampire. We lose our soul and watch as our reflection disappears in the blood mirror. After that cup of blood, we are fully turned and like newly turned Half-fang's, we are starving. Most of the time we can control it but there are a few who can't and are thrown out to join the Dark-Bloods."

"You just toss them out? that's cruel," exclaimed Dimitri.

"It's what we do. Remember this, we may not be monsters, but we aren't good. We are supernatural creatures who drink blood, cause chaos and love destruction. we are evil. We are praised for breaking the rules and scolded when we get caught. We are evil, just not as bad as the Dark-Bloods. To fit in here, you are going to have to get in touch with your dark side," I said "I need my beauty sleep so I'm going to go back. you should too unless you want to get sunburnt." I told him. He gave me a small smile and I walked down the side of the building and jumped down into my room. Dimitri followed before walking along to his room and slipped inside. I jumped through my window slamming it shit with a wave of my hand just making it before the first rays of sunlight started to appear. My coffin opened and I fell back with my arms crossed over my chest and the lid closed sealing me inside until the sun sets.


	7. Chapter 7

The day of the memorial came. Dressed in black, we stood around a large stone with each of the fallen student's name engraved deep in the rock surface. I told Dimitri he didn't have to come because he didn't know any of them, but in truth, I couldn't stand there mourning my friend when his killer stood beside me mourning someone they never knew. If Mason could see me with Dimitri, I know he would be hurt. I should have avenged him, but I am not a killer. As much as I like the badass evil Vampire reputation, I couldn't kill a slayer. I couldn't kill our worst hated enemy.

I couldn't hate him, so I did something much worse, I loved him. my feelings for him was growing every day and it scared me because I couldn't tell him the truth. It was for the best. As long as Lissa and I were the only ones who knew, the secret would be safe, and Dimitri would never know. He can live forever as a vampire, with me. Eddie Stared at his fallen friend's name. I held his hand tightly, as if I were scared his soul would go leave with Mason's and I was the only thing holding him down. Mia held his other hand but in a much softer way as she lay her head on his shoulder and let the tears fall.

I couldn't cry, I had done too much crying recently and I had to be the strong one in the group. Lissa stood next to me, openly crying blood tears as Christian held her close. Headmistress Kirova said a few worlds but I doubted anyone was paying attention. everyone had lost someone, whether a friend, an acquaintance or a student. We all felt the loss hard and so we mourned.

Classes were cancelled for the day to allow students to mourn in their own way. I went back to my room to change out of my formal black dress and into something much more casual for the private ceremony. Mason wasn't much of a formal person. Instead, he preferred the casual dark Vampire look but we were going to vamp it up and give him the ceremony he would have wanted, an extra gothic ceremony. Halloween here is much different to humans. We do dress up, but not in costumes. Instead, we dress up in our best vampire attire to look as sexy and as evil as we possibly can.

Instead of walking around the streets and asking for candy, we have a blood ceremony. Everyone must stand around the statue of St Vladimir, the ancient Vampire who built this school, and must drink from the same cup of ancient Vampire blood. It wasn't my favourite holiday, the blood always tasted sour and it was the only blood we were allowed to drink that day. Mason loved it. He loved dressing up in full Vampire attire and I have to admit, he did look pretty badass in black. He loved the blood ceremony but most of all, he loved the party afterwards. I have to admit, I did like it.

It was the only day rules didn't matter. We could use our Vampire abilities on campus and do anything we wanted without getting in any trouble. To honour Mason, we agreed to celebrate him the way he would have wanted, the fun way. I pulled on my favourite pair of boots, black boots with silver heel and a sharp tip that looked like a slayers stake. They were pretty badass. My makeup was done in the same gothic way I liked, thick black eyeliner with red and black eyeshadow and an Blood red Lipstick. My hair left as I usually kept it but with a little of volume to give it a messy sexy look. I added my vang choker and was almost ready to go when a knock on my door interrupted me. I opened the door to find Dimitri.

"Hey," I said, and I stood aside to let him in.

"Hey, how was the ceremony?" he asked.

"Kind of gloomy. I'm sorry you couldn't come."

"I understand. I didn't know any of them, I just wanted to be there for you."

"I know, but I needed to be there for Eddie." He nodded in understanding.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked as he took in my look.

"Um… we are kind of doing this private ceremony for Mason. The first one was formal, this one is just for him, the way he would have wanted it." I explained. "You can come if you want but again you didn't really know him."

"Would your friends be alright with me there?" I nodded.

"You're a part of our group now," I told him.

"Do I have to dress up?" he asked.

"I'll help you. it doesn't have to be too gothic, just remember dark." We went to his room and dug through his wardrobe until we found a pair of dark jeans and a plain black t-shirt. Dimitri changed quickly and we walked out down the hall and across the field to the back of the school where we had agreed to meet. The sun was far from rising giving us plenty of time to have a Propper ceremony.

Eddie looked like a member of a gothic band with his ripped black jeans and black shredded trench coat that he wore with the hood up. Mia looked Like me in red and black but wore a tight red dress with black thigh high boots and black lipstick. Lissa put in a little effort which was different than the actual Halloween ceremony where she usually when as herself. She wore an ash grey flare dress with a black belt around her waist. She didn't look dark or evil by any means but at least she didn't look like her normal angel self. Christian wasn't much better.

Sure, he was in black, but he was always in black. The only thing that was different was the traditional vampire Black and red cape which he only wore on special Vampiric occasions. Dimitri and I were the last ones to arrive, but no one made any mention as the ceremony began. We Dug a deep hole in the ground and placed a ring of six black candles around. Once finished we all stepped back and snapped our fingers lighting our own individual candle. I checked Dimitri, he was a little behind because he didn't know what to do but he lit his perfectly. We joined hands and Eddie brought out my bag filled with Mason's shirts. One by one, he set them on fire, turning them into ash which slipped through his fingers and fell into the hole.

One after another they were set alight and crumbled away into the earth. Finally, Eddie brought out the last one: a shirt, Mason's Favourite shirt. The one he said he was going to keep as a memory. He didn't Burn that one. Instead, he placed it folded on top of the pile of ash in the hole. Then, we all let go of each other's hands and stepped forward. We picked up our individual candle and blew it out before pouring the hot wax into the hole and placing the candle in with everything else. After that, we sealed the hole with dirt and used earth magic to make the grass grow over to make it look like nothing ever happened. The ceremony ended with two words from our ancient language: _Dupa nemurire_. After Immortality.

Our little ceremony ended and we all made our way inside. Even though classes were cancelled, almost everyone looked back to normal. There were some who weren't quite ready for normal who kept to themselves.

Girls ran around the room with streamers and balloons decorating the hall for the dance tomorrow night. The dance was still on, though there had been complaints and protests. Our group walked in looking like members of a Punk Rock Band. People turned and stared. Lissa Lifter her chin and held her head high as we walked down the halls. I smirked and turned to Christian who had the same smirk on his lips and his eyes flicked to me. we had been stared and pointed at our whole lives. It had gotten better with the ceremony that proved we belonged with them, but people still shot us dirty looks when we walked past.

Girls always whispered about me behind my back. judging me for what I was wearing, calling me a slut or a whore and spreading rumours about me. I heard them, but I never did anything to stop them. Whispering and rumours I could deal with, the truth, I could not. It began when we came to high school. Lissa's family had taken me and Lissa away for a very long holiday. I had changed a lot during that time. I had gotten taller and my bust and curves had started to develop much earlier than any other girl my age. My fangs had come through and I started to look like a real vampire.

Everyone seemed to notice my change. Even wearing simple jeans and a t-shirt people would talk about me. I had gotten the attention of both the boys and the girls. I got invited to a lot more parties where many guys had approached me. My first kiss was stolen from me when I was drunk and stupid, but I didn't care. I Kissed many guys and I was having the time of my life until one day I overheard a bunch of girls who I thought were my friends talking about me. they called me a slut, a whore and spread a rumour that I had gotten a boob job over the break. Lissa and I had called these girls friends.

They acted nice to our faces but stabbed us in the back the moment we turned around. For the first time in my life, I cried. Lissa comforted me. In that moment, I knew, she was the only friend I needed. The rumours and whispers kept coming. I did my best to ignore them, but they always made it through my shield. In the end I decided, if they were going to talk, let them talk. I wore clothes that showed off my body and followed the image they had created of me with my own Vampiric spin. I didn't want them to love me, I wanted them to fear me. I strutted down the halls with my heels in my tight little outfits and when they whispered I smirked. I grew to like the attention, good or bad. We weren't invited to anymore sleepovers with the girls, but that was okay.

We were getting invited to all the parties in the older years thanks to Lissa's brother and my flirting. Lissa sat with her then boyfriend, Aaron in the corner, while I made my way from guy to guy. I flirted, teased and kissed but I never went any further than that. I had made a promise to myself. I would become the image they saw me as, but I would never actually become what they called me.

Christian had it much worse than I did. We were pointed and whispered at since he was a toddler. Kids ran away from him when he approached them in the playground. I hate to admit it, but I ran. Not out of fear, just to belong. He chose a different approach. Where I had chosen to stand out and take their stares. Christian tried to blend in and ignore them.

When Lissa and I became the outcasts, I finally understood how he felt. It didn't mean we were Friends, we still didn't talk to him and he sat by himself. We had other friends from older years, but everything changed when Lissa's family died. All of Andre's friends were there for Lissa but it didn't feel right to hang out with them. Lissa Dumped Aaron and we were alone. I moved to training to distract me and became good friends with Mason and Eddie. They joined our group and little by little, we stared to heal. Christian was Lissa's distraction. He helped her in ways I couldn't because I never really knew my parents. Christian did, and he had to go through the exact same thing Lissa was going through.

They met up in an attic and quickly became friends, from there, their friendship changed to something else entirely. They started dating and Christian joined our group. With Dating Lissa came more pointing and whispering. Christian had grown used to it and now did the same as me, take the attention and spit it back in their faces. Mia, the bitch behind most of the rumours, joined our group not too long later. After she had revealed her reasons for being a bitch to me and Lissa. Lissa had always been in the spotlight as the last survivor of an ancient family. She hid the pain well, but I knew it hit her hard. She didn't want the attention, but she didn't hide from it either. She simply took it with grace, the same way she did with everything. She truly looked like an angel, or, maybe a princess.

One girl outwardly pointed at us and I hissed with my fangs spitting venom. The girl squealed and backed away. I scoffed, and _she calls herself a vampire._ Dimitri grabbed my hand and pulled me back to him. Dimitri had his fair share of stares and whispers as well, but no bad words were said about him. girls sighed and fanned themselves when he walked by. I couldn't tell if he had noticed or was pretending he didn't, so it wouldn't annoy me. we walked hand in hand into the hall and sat down.

"Look at the ribbons their hanging. Why must everything be so pink and bubbly, I thought this was a Vampire school?" I said as I watched a wide eyes girl tie a pink glittery bow onto the metal bars at the front of the room.

"I thought you were the one who said we aren't evil vampires," said Lissa.

"Yes, but just because we aren't evil doesn't mean we are pathetic. This dance is meant to celebrate the Blood Moon, not a toddler's princess party." I said and folded my arms across my chest.

"The Blood Moon doesn't actually have anything to do with Vampires, it's just a rare event and a good excuse for a party," said Christian.

"Whose side are you on?" I asked

"You're right, this is a little too cutesy for a vampire dance, but just let them do what they want. At least we can wear whatever we want so we can bring the darkness to the sappy, happy room." Christian said.

"Tell that to this one here," I said gesturing to Lissa. "She refuses to wear black and is coming in a pink and white dress."

"Not all of us suite black and red, Rose. There is no way I could wear the dress you got, but I cannot wait to see it on you. Come to my room tomorrow and we can get ready together," she said.

"Sure. You have good makeup, which I will be borrowing," I told her. She laughed.

"You always do anyway."

"True. Mia, do you want to come too?" I asked.

"Sure, I can bring some of my jewellery you can borrow if you want," she offered. I smiled and nodded. Sometimes it still felt like she didn't belong with us. She tried hard to fit in with us it's not easy to forget what she did to us.

"Fine, since the girls are getting ready together maybe you guys should come to my room. then we can pick them up all together," Christian suggested.

"Sure," Dimitri responded with a shrug. Eddie was a bit hesitant as he looked at Mia. They weren't dating but he knew Mia liked him. We just don't know if he liked her. Mia's cheeks lit up as she waited for Eddies response as it would mean he would be taking her to the dance.

"Sure, I'll meet you guys an hour before the dance," responded Eddie after his long considering pause.

"Yeah, we'll meet at your room, Liss, an hour before." I said.

"An hour?" Lissa exclaimed. "No, we need more than an hour. I'll need you both there at least three hours before with dresses in hand." I turned to Mia and rolled my eyes.

"Yes boss. Although, I don't see why we need that much time."

"Rome wasn't built in a day, perfection isn't made in an hour," Lissa responded. I laughed.

"Alright, I need to stop by the feeders."

"I'll come with you," said Dimitri standing up before I could argue. We walked down the hall together in an awkward silence. We hadn't really spoken about what happened last night, we hadn't had the chance. He expressed his feelings perfectly, but I was still uncertain.

"Lissa seems excited for the dance," he started suddenly.

"She gets excited for every fancy event here," I said and gave him a small smile as we continued walking. Dimitri sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder stopping me.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"You lost a close friend, that must be hard."

"I have lost a lot of people I loved. I don't mean it's easy to move on, I've just learnt how to hide my emotions."

"I'm sorry." He said.

"Don't be, I'm glad. I miss them all every day but it's what keeps me going. I want to make them proud and so I will protect the people they loved."

"You can't protect everyone," he said.

"No," I agreed. "But I can try."

"There's something else," he said.

"Yes?"

"Have I done something?" he asked. Looking at me with eyes that seemed to reach inside my soul looking for answers.

"What? No, why would you ask that?"

"You're tense. I don't know how to explain it but it's like I can feel your hesitance to me," he said. I felt my already tense muscles tense up more as he spoke. It had been said that some Half fangs could feel the emotions of their sire on a small scale. He could feel my fears, I would have to be careful with my emotions from now on.

"Your right, I just don't know how to do this," I explained.

"This?"

"I have never had a real relationship before. I don't know how this works or how to be a girlfriend," I told him honestly.

"So, you are my girlfriend?" he asked.

"Well you did ask me out," I pointed out.

"one date and we are a couple, and I thought you wanted to take it slow," he teased raising and eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Fine, I take it back. I am not your girlfriend," I said trying to copy him but failed miserably with the raised eyebrow.

"No, wait. I never said it was a bad thing."

"Too late, I already took it back." I argued.

"Well maybe we can try again," he suggested and pulled my arms from their crossed position, so he held both of my hands. "Rosemarie Hathaway," he started looking into my eyes.

"Nope, try again," I said.

"I'm trying to be formal," he protested.

"I don't care I hate that name."

"Fine. Rose Hathaway," he started but I cut him off.

"Much better," I said with a smirk.

"Will you let me finish?"

"Sorry, continue."

"Rose Hathaway, Roza, will you do me the honour of becoming my Girlfriend?"

"Only if you think you can handle me," I said and smirked. He smiled a bright smile showing off his perfect white teeth, which made my heart skip a beat. He leant in quickly and captured my lips in a passionate kiss. I pulled away first but kept my arms around his neck.

"Come on, I'm starving," I said and released him.

"Always thinking of your stomach," he muttered but I heard him perfectly.

"Hey, never come between a girl and her stomach. We have a relationship you will never understand." Dimitri laughed and took my hand as we walked into the feeding room. The feeders sat in their white chairs and by the look on most of their faces, they had already had a few bites. I was taken to my usual feeder, a middle-aged woman named Meryl.

"Rose?" she asked when I entered the curtains. She abruptly sat up with wide eyes and a look of surprise frozen on her face.

"Yeah it's me," I confirmed. Maybe she had a few too many bites today.

"Where have you been? You haven't fed this past week?"

"What are you talking about? I was here just the other day," I protested.

"You didn't come to me." I thought back to that day when I came here with Dimitri for his first feed. She was right, I had come here for him, not myself. I hadn't been to the feeders this past week, I should have been close to dead with no energy, but I had so much energy. I used my magic without feeling any strain and all because I fed off Dimitri. I had one blood bag and then I fed off Dimitri, I drained him. I had more blood then I had ever had before in my life. so much that I was actually full and more then that, it gave me the energy and power I needed to get through without needing the feeders for almost a full week. I closed my gaping mouth and quickly came up with a good excuse.

"Oh yeah, it's just been a hard week. I haven't been thinking clearly but I think I'm starting to recover now," I said. she smiled and slumped back in her bed and turned her head to the side exposing her neck. Her pulse beat strongly in her throat and I couldn't resist. My fangs grew out shark and strong and pierced her skin. She sighed when I bit into her nick and drank. I drank, letting myself be carried away with the rush. When I felt the tap on my shoulder, I didn't want to release.

The tapping continued and eventually I pulled back as I reminded myself I had to stop. I released quickly and pulled back wiping my mouth on my arm. I couldn't go too far, just because I drained someone once, that doesn't mean I could do it again. I had to get my control back. I walked out to find Dimitri leaning against the wall. He smiled at me but dropped his smile when he saw my face.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just didn't realise how much I really needed blood," I told him. He nodded and gestured for the exit. I moved next to him and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. People in the hall way stopped to stare as we walked down the hall way. Girls started with harsh glares and dropped jaws, but I didn't care. I looked to Dimitri and smiled

I was his from the moment I saw him, and he was mine in more ways than he would ever know. I knew I had to be careful, but he was different from what they had told us about Half Fangs. Maybe they were wrong, maybe they lied to us or maybe Dimitri was just special. It didn't matter. Dimitri would never know and so we had nothing to worry about.

The big day came. I was awoken by the constant ringing of my phone. I groaned and threw my coffin. I snatched my phone from where it sat on the table and was very close to crushing it until I saw who was calling. Dimitri. I rubbed my eyes and coughed to clear my morning voice before I answered.

"Hello?"

"Open your door," came the deep silky voice I loved.

"What?" I asked as I started crawling out of my coffin.

"Be quiet and just do it," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice. I looked down at my silky navy pyjama shorts and black camisole. Not the best outfit but I didn't have time to change. I opened the door and slipped Dimitri inside. How he made it here, I'll never know.

Teachers patrol the halls after Sun up making sure we all stayed in our rooms. Boys and girls were allowed to hang out in each other's rooms but not after sun up. I closed the door quietly and locked it. I turned around with questions on my lips, but I never got the chance to speak before his mouth was on mine. I gasped in surprise, but it didn't take long before I melted against him and responded to the kiss.

He kept me backed against my door as he ravished me the same way he did back in that class room. He travelled down my neck and kissed my sweet spot until I had to bite my lip to hold in my moans. His hand travelled down my side and along my thigh before he lifted it to wrap around his waist, so our hips were touching. I hooked my leg in place and he moved him hand exploring my body. He came back to my lips and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He dug his hand into my hair and I wrapped my other leg around him until I was fully off the ground and in his hold. His other hand travelled down my spine and held me pressed against him. we continued kissing as he moved us towards the couch and lay me down with him hovering on top. I was still hanging onto him, but we had paused our make out session for a couple of minutes.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"I couldn't sleep, I couldn't do anything I just kept thinking about you, I knew I had to see you and it couldn't wait." I smiled up at him and looked at him through my lashes.

"So, this couldn't have waited until after I had brushed my hair, it probably looks like a bird's nest," I laughed but Dimitri just shook his head.

"Your hair is perfect. You're perfect no matter what." And without warning, he kissed me again. I melted into his kiss and soon his shirt came off followed quickly by mine. I never thought I would have this. I was the kind of girl who never thought about dating or relationships. All I care about was becoming a badass vampire. Yes, I went on a couple dates, but nothing came from that. I hooked up with cute boys at parties, teased, flirted and flaunted my way down the halls, but nothing ever came from it. I was still a virgin. Me and Dimitri didn't have sex, but who knows what might have happened if it wasn't for Lissa's voice in my head ordering me to get over to her room that instant. Dimitri didn't complain, he understood the number one girl rule and kissed me goodbye as I left with my dress and shoes in my hands to Lissa's room.


	8. Chapter 8

"Lissa, I don't see why I had to come to your room to get ready for some school dance eight hours from now." I complained as I walked into her room and slammed the door behind me. Lissa sat at her vanity, laying out all her equipment out. She looked like a doctor preparing for surgery. I shuffled my way in and flumped down on her bed face first and groaned.

"I thought we needed to catch up. I haven't spent much time alone with you. You have spent all your time with Dimitri, I hardly see you. We need some girl time." She said. I heard her approaching and turned my head to look at her through the curtain of tangled hair that had fallen over my face. Lissa sat on the bed beside me and brushed the tangled strands from my face. She smiled down at me, her gold hair seemed to glow, and she looked like an angel smiling down at me from the heavens. I was almost scared that if I touched her, she would wither and die as flowers do.

She stroked the edge of my face bringing me back from my thoughts. I sat up next to her as she stared deep into my eyes the same way she did when she hypnotised someone, but I knew, she would never hypnotise me. "How are you?" she asked. I went to answer but she stopped me. "The truth, Rose. I am here it is just the two of us and I am the only one who knows the truth. I have kept your secret, deserve some answers." I sighed knowing she was right.

"I don't know how I feel." I told her and shrugged. She looked at me waiting for me to continue. "Only a few days ago everything was normal. I always complained that every day was the same, I wanted to be free and I couldn't wait until graduation. Now everything has changed, and I would give anything to go back in time. I want the ordinary back."

"Rose you were never ordinary. Even when we were kids you were different. Remember when you put ketchup on a taco?" she asked with a smirk.

"That was one time, and we ran out of salsa, what was I supposed to do?" she smiled.

"Do you remember what happened after?"

"Shane called me an unnatural vampiric abomination."

"And then you kicked him so hard he flew back, hit the wall and broke eleven bones," Lissa recalled.

"He healed fast, but I got detention for a month for that stunt."

"He deserved it. No one called Rose Hathaway unnatural." I laughed. "You were never normal Rose, even by vampire standards. No day with you was normal, but it wasn't enough for you. You were ready for more. That's why I'm kind of glad Dimitri came." I looked at her with wide eyes. "I wish that it happened differently, but I can see you have changed, because of him. I can't explain it, but you just feel different, a good different."

"I'm lying to him about everything," I argued.

"If you told him the truth he would hate you," she argued.

"He should hate me," I whispered.

"Well he doesn't, he likes you." she paused. "And I know you like him too. It's pretty obvious there's something going on between you two."

"There is nothing going on," I lied looking down at my fidgeting fingers in my lap.

"You go everywhere together, he is taking you to the dance tonight and don't think I didn't notice you when you walked in. hair all messed up, lips pink, eyes dazed and shirt on backwards. Either you had a lot of fun this morning or you had a very exciting dream." I self-consciously started fixing my shirt noticing she was right. I should have checked but I was in a rush to get here.

"He asked me out and we have shared a few intense kisses but nothing else," I told her.

"So, you're dating?" she asked trying and failing to hide her enthusiasm.

"We aren't dating. We are just going on a date," I protested.

"If I remember correctly, you have already been on one. This would be date number two. You are dating."

"That first one doesn't count. He was just trying to get information out of me and stake me. the only reason he didn't was because I told him about the trip. An all you can slay buffet for the slayers."

"That was still a date, Rose. I remember the smile on your face after the date. You were so happy. It counts." I didn't answer. For a couple minute we sat together in silence before she stood up. "Come on, let's get you ready for your boyfriend."

"He is not my boyfriend," I argued. She laughed pulling me up and into her bathroom where she gave me a basket of expensive fancy bottles and told me to have a long shower and not come out until the smell of lust was scrubbed from my skin. I rolled my eyes but obeyed, taking a very long relaxing shower in her bathroom almost double the size of mine. guess that happens when your parents were on the vampire high council. I came out wearing the pink robe I threatened to burn once, but re-considered when I felt how comfortable it was, and a towel wrapped around my head. Mia was there laughing with Lissa who wore a similar robe to the one I had one. She saw me come and smiled.

"Mia, put this one and we'll start," said Lissa handing Mia another robe. Mia went to the bathroom to get dressed while I took the towel off my head and rung out my hair until it was just damp and then I put it in a bun. Mia came out just as Lissa came back with a bowel of black slimy stuff, brushed and sliced cucumber pieced. I reached for one, Lissa slapped my hand away.

"They are for your eyes not eating," she said. "It's time for facemasks." She came towards me, sticking the thin brush into the bowel and pulling it out covered in the black goop. I moved backwards. "It's a charcoal face mask." She said.

"What's it for?"

"It's meant to clear your pores and get rid of blackheads. They say it is good for the skin."

"Lissa, we are vampires. Frozen in time, with porcelain skin that never ages or changes. We don't get blackheads, or pimples. That is for humans."

"I know but it's just fun. I ordered online, and I want to try it. Trust me."

"So, this is what the Dragomir heir does with her inheritance." She rolled her eyes and came towards me. I sighed and closed my eyes as she started painting my face in the sticky sweet-smelling tar. Once we were painted. We lay back and waited for it to dry with the cucumber slices on our eyes.

"Do you think Eddie Likes me?" asked Mia. I turned towards where her voice came from even though I couldn't see her.

"Likes you as in _likes_ you?" Lissa asked.

"Yeah. I know we weren't always close, but I have been getting closer to him and I really like him. he doesn't show any signs that he likes me, but I don't know. He is so hard to decode."

"Eddie likes to keep his emotions to himself. Give him time. He just lost his best friend. When the time is right, just tell him and if he doesn't feel the same way at least you'll know." I said. Mia didn't respond. "Okay no more talk about boys or anything else mushy."

"Rose is right. We can talk about boys anytime." Said Lissa.

"Mia, what are you doing after School ends?" I asked.

"Well, my dad works at court. I was going to try to get a fashion internship with one of the vampire designers but after my mother was staked, I knew I had to be close to my dad. I think I'm just going to go to court and see if there is a job for me there. I don't want to leave him alone."

"That's not fair. You should be able to do what you want," I argued.

"He's not forcing me to stay, Rose. I want to be there for him." I couldn't argue with that. The slayers attacked the house where her mother worked as a maid. Twelve vampires were slain that night, the worst tragedy our world had seen in centauries. "What about you, Rose? I heard you were planning on becoming a night-rider?" asked Mia.

"Yeah, that was the plan but I'm still thinking."

"But that is the prefect job for you. what else are you looking for?" asked Mia.

"They have already told me I have a place with them if I want it, but I want to go out into the world first. Maybe a decade of traveling using my abilities freely before I come back and settle down." I told them. I knew this was news to Lissa and she would ask me about it later. I had been thinking about it lately. While I would love to be a nigh-rider and hunt down the evils of both kinds of vampires, I realised I would be hunting myself down. While turning humans isn't illegal, turning slayers is. Slayers are vampire's mortal enemies. We had lost people to the dark-bloods, but they were willing and made that decision on their own, while slayers stake without mercy leaving loved ones, like my mother, in piles of ash on the ground. When a vampire turns a human, they are required to bring them in for the high council to look after and to be turned into servants for us. Turned slayers are to be turned over to be killed. I had turned a slayer and kept it secret. Two of the biggest crimes rolled into one. Not only that, I was teaching him how to be a vampire and lying to everyone. There was something different about him though. He could do things other vampires shouldn't be able to do. This both scared and intrigued me. Why could he do impossible things? What made Dimitri special?

"What about you Lissa?" asked Mia.

"I am going to take the Dragomir spot on the high council. it will be hard. Andre was the one they were grooming to take over, but it is my duty and my right." responded Lissa in the regal way she always did whenever asked that question.

"Sounds nice. You're following in your parent's footsteps."

"I just hope I can bring pride to the family name." I grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly.

"You will Liss. Your parents are probably watching over you. They were always proud of everything you did." Even though I couldn't see her, I could imagine the small smile she would give me as she squeezed my hand back. the mask dried and tightened until it was hard to move my face. We all sat up taking off the cucumber and I followed Lissa as she pealed the tar off her face leaving her with the same flawless skin she had before. It was a waste of time for us, but she was so excited.

How could I deprive her of her dream human day even if it was just for a day? Once all the black stuff was removed and, in the bin, I looked at my phone. I had only been here an hour, yet in that time it felt like days had past. We still had hours before the dance. I thought there was no way we would need that much time. I was wrong. Lissa buffed and polished Mia and our nails before doing her own. She asked what colours I wanted but complained when I had chosen red and black. She argued for something different but in the end, I won on the condition that she could do a design on my nails. She had sharpened and shaped my nails until they looked like claws. She painted a thick layer black on each nail and once that had dried she used the red to make a diamond shape in the centre of my nail and stuck a tiny red plastic diamond in the centre of that. I didn't want to admit it, but I loved what she did with my nails. They looked fierce and deadly but also looked elegant compared to my usual plain black nails.

Mia was sort of like Lissa. She liked to dress in colours, but she had embraced her vampiric side. Her nails were a deep ocean blue that matched her dress perfectly. I did Lissa's the usual pearl white with a swirl of rose pink in the middle. We sat on her sofa with our freshly painted nails being fanned by a small tornado Mia had created. They dried quickly, and we were on to the next step. I didn't want to know where Lissa got all the beauty supplies, including the wax and paper sheets. She started with my eyebrows, waxing and plucking. That wasn't so bad, until she moved onto the rest of my body. I was used to pain but even I couldn't hold in the screams as she waxed my moustache, arms and legs. almost all of my hair from head to toe was removed in the most excruciating way. Maybe she was embracing her vampiric side. We do love torture.

I ran to the bathroom and examined my stinging legs as Lissa worked on Mia. I heard the screams through the door similar to mine. my legs were red quickly fading back to their normal colour. I was relieved when the pain was over and walked back in as the last strip was ripped from Mia's skin. She cried out, but Lissa just smiled as she examined her handy work resulting in Mia's hairless legs. time was catching up with us and soon we were onto makeup and hair. Lissa wanted to do mine, but I brushed her off wanting to do my own. She had done everything else today, but I wanted to do something myself. I started on my face with my usual makeup adding a thin line of eyeliner and a wing. I added some light eyeshadow and layered my eyelashes with mascara.

I finished with a thick red lipstick. Lissa did Mia's make up simple with some blue eyeshadow and a maroon Lipstick. Lissa's makeup was the same with a white, silver and pink eyeshadow combination. Her lips were just naturally glossed giving them a shiny look. Time was running out. we moved onto hair. Lissa straightened her hair and got to work while I dried mine still slightly damp from the shower.

Mia had a high bun with silver pins scattered throughout and leaving out a couple pieces of hair at the front, curled and framing her face. Lissa curled my hair and asked what style she should put it in. I shook my head and smiled at the thick forest of dark curls she had made. We slipped into our dresses and shoes with only minutes to spare. This was the first time I had seen Mia's dress. She wore a deep blue halter-neck dress that came straight down to her mid-thigh and split like a mermaid tale but still showed her legs.

Lissa braided her hair around in a crown style and added a silver tiara on top to finish her look off. We were finally done just touching up our lipstick when a knock on the door stopped us. Lissa opened the door to be greeted by a grinning Christian and Eddie. Christian Leant down meeting Lissa's lips and Mia walked over to the door to greet Eddie. I looked but Dimitri was nowhere to be seen. The Lovers continued with their PDA while Eddie and Mia engaged in awkward conversation.

"Where's Dimitri?" I blurted out. The two boys looked at me.

"He's right out here," said Eddie and made room for me to squeeze past. I walked looking at the ground until I saw his shoes. My eyes followed him from bottom to top scanning him. He stood in black dress pants and a while button down shirt with a couple of the buttons undone showing part of his muscled chest. His hair was tied back at the nape of his neck and he was smiling at me taking in my look as I had his.

"Roza, you look beautiful." I strutted up to him.

"You're not too bad yourself, Comrade," I said wrapping my arms around his neck. The shoes helped me in height, so I could easily reach him but still had to stretch into the tips of my heels.

"Christian and Eddie helped providing the outfit," he said.

"You're lucky Eddie is taller than me," said Christian. "My dress pants showed a bit too much ankle."

"My aunt sent me Some dress pants for her wedding. They were too big, but she didn't ask for them back, so I just kept them at the back of my wardrobe. I'm surprised they actually fit someone." Said Eddie.

"Should we go?" asked Lissa.

"Only if Rose lets go of Dimitri or he carries her," said Christian.

"In this dress? I'd flash the whole school," I retorted.

"And I'm sure they would all be grateful for the view," Christian threw back.

"Then they are all going to be very disappointed," I said smiling looking up at Dimitri. He looked down at me with that look in his deep brown eyes that made my knees wobble. He grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers. I wasn't lovey dovey or a fan of PDA like Lissa and Christian clearly are, but something about this felt right, so I didn't push him away. I gave his hand a tight squeeze as we walked down to the rest of the group hand in hand and we all went down to the gym.

The gym looked completely different to what I'm used to. All the equipment was locked up making the space look much bigger than normal. A flimsy disco ball hung from the centre beam with lights hitting it from every angle that was reflected down onto the people dancing beneath.

Against the walls were banners and streamers trying to cover up the plain cement wall and make it look fancy. against the wall was a table empty of snacks but had three large punch bowls filled with a red liquid. It was too thin to be blood and the wrong colour for it to be a normal fruit punch. Someone must have spiked them. Humans usually spike the punch with alcohol. Vampires spike it with blood and alcohol.

Lissa pulled Christian out onto the dance floor. He stood as still as a statue as she danced. Eddie and Mia walked out into the crowd. Eddie was more elegant then Christian and actually got into it. I know I wasn't a good dancer and it would take a couple of drinks to build my confidence up, so I could go out there.

"Do you wanna go get a drink?" I yelled over the thumping music. Dimitri nodded, and we made our way over to the table. I quickly downed four cups of punch as Dimitri sipped his first. "What's wrong? Too strong for you?" I asked. He shook his head.

"I'm used to Russian Vodka. This is very week and sweet for me," he said. I moved towards him but tripped over my own feet. I started to fall but Dimitri reacted instantly and caught me pulling me to my feel.

"Seems strong enough to me," I said.

"Wait till you try Russian Vodka." Once I had gotten my balance back and was steady in my heels, he released me.

"Do you wanna go dance?" I asked.

"I don't dance," answered Dimitri.

"Don't or won't?" I smirked in a teasing way.

"Same thing."

"No, they aren't. You don't dance, or you won't dance with me." he looked to the group of people dancing close together.

"Go, have fun with your friends," he said dodging my last statement. I shrugged kissing his cheek and made my way onto the dancefloor. Lissa and Mia spotted me and turned away from their guys joining with me for a dance. The ground seemed to thump with the beat of the music. If I could breathe I'd be breathless. After a while, I decided I would go find Dimitri and try to cox him into a dance. I searched and scanned my eyes around the room, but he was nowhere to be seen. I closed my eyes and focused on him until I found him. He was sitting outside on the steps of the gym. Suddenly, my buzz was gone, and I was completely sober again. I made my way outside to see him with his back turned to me staring up at the moon shining brightly above. I walked towards him and joined him sitting on the stairs.

"Hey," I started quietly.

"I'm sorry for ruining your night, Rose," he said without looking at me.

"You didn't ruin anything. What's going on?"

"I know what I am, and I have accepted it, but I'm still not comfortable with being in large groups of them. even today with the guys was a little hard but I warmed up to them. you are the only one I am really comfortable with. I suppose it's because I knew you before and you were the one who found me and saved me. I just need more time to adjust." He admitted.

"I understand. It can't be easy for you."

"It isn't." I sat for a moment watching him before I looked to the moon. To my eyes, the moon was the sun. Everything was so bright even though it was the middle of the night. I didn't know what I could say or do that could help him, then suddenly, I was struck with an idea.

"Do you wanna go somewhere?" I asked.

"Where?"

"I can't tell you," I said standing up. "You're just going to have to trust me. Do you?" I asked extending my hand to him. He hesitated as he looked at me for a couple of seconds before he took my hand and I pulled him to his feet.

"I trust you."

"No way!" Dimitri exclaimed.

"Come on. Trust me," I begged holding up the coat hanger.

"No. I thought we were modern vampires, that means jeans and T-shirts, not capes and frills."

"There are no frills, but trust me, you need to wear the cape." I tossed it to him and pulled out my other cape. Black Leather as soft and smooth as silk with a hood attached at the back. I pulled it on my back and locked the chains together. The flexible supernatural material slid over my shoulders and fell down to the floor. Dimitri watched me for a moment before he decided to pull his own cape on and lock the chains as I had. He was lucky I had a spare because there was no way I could go around asking to borrow someone else's.

"This is ridicules," Dimitri muttered.

"Trust me, you'll be thanking me for that later," I told him. the cape was small on him even though it was my bigger cape. It covered most of his body only leaving some of his legs uncovered. "Come on," I told him and lead him towards the window. Dimitri followed me closely as silent as a shadow and I barely noticed him until I turned around and almost bumped into his chest. I took a step back giving me some distance and trying to hide the gasp that had escaped my lips. I pulled myself together before I met his eyes. "Because you are a Half-Fang, you have limited abilities, but you can still shape-shift into a bat," I told him.

"A bat?" he asked. "And you wonder why humans call us unnatural"

"Yes actually, now shut-up and listen." He smirked but didn't speak. "Okay, this was really hard for me to get but bat is the easiest. Just imagine yourself flapping and think of flying. Imagine what you see and hear as you fly through the night sky." To say he co-operated was a massive overstatement. He fought it but eventually followed my instructions. He closed his eyes, and nothing happened.

"Okay, maybe we are looking at this the wrong way."

"You think?" he said sarcastically.

"I'm gonna go with the way Lissa taught me," I said and opened the window letting the midnight breeze flow through.

"Does it work?"

"Worked for me, might work for you but if it doesn't- "I trailed off

"If it doesn't?"

"It's gonna hurt," I said and before he could say anything, I pushed him out the window. My room was higher up then Lissa's was. everything seemed to be going in slow motion as I watched Dimitri. He wasn't flying, he was falling. he was falling fast and shooting down to the hard dirt below. I quickly turned and flew after him about to catch him, but he changed inches above the ground. He flapped back up and I followed him into my room.

"You threw me out a window!" he exclaimed.

"That's how I was taught. Lissa was right, that really works."

"I could have died."

"You are dead. Remember, you are a vampire now."

"Dead?" he asked just above a whisper.

"Undead," I corrected. "Whatever, you know what I mean."

"I really died. There's no going back. I can't change back, can I?"

"No. You can't. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, I'll get used to it. So, what's the next step in your master plan?" he asked. I smirked. It was the middle of the night, and everyone was busy having fun at the dance, so no one could see us as we flew out the window and into the night sky.

"What was the purpose of the capes?" Dimitri asked as we flew. "Do you need them to fly?"

"No, you can transform in anything and it won't affect you unless it somehow affects the transformation process. The capes are for later, you'll see."

He followed me through the clouds as we dived in and out feeling the fluffy silver clouds turn to moisture as we passed through them. Light Rain poured down over us and brought a satisfied smile to my face as each droplet burst upon hitting my warm skin. Dimitri followed me as flew down and landed on the Steel roof of Missoula Mall. I changed back into my normal self and Dimitri did the same. I pulled the hood of my cape up over my head until I was completely covered.

"Put your hood up," I told him. Quickly, he pulled over his head. I slid open a panel in the glass skylight and dropped down to the floor landing in a crouched position on the floor. I stood up and backed up giving Dimitri some space. He dropped down as I did but in a way that was more graceful then mine. I was power, and I liked showing that. He was control. he did have power, but he controlled it as if he were born to be a vampire. He stepped beside me and moved to take off his hood as I had.

I motioned for him to stay and ran off quickly as I could, finding every video camera and pulled the chords out, deactivating them.

"That's why we need the capes. We don't have a reflection which means we aren't visible on camera, but unlike Shapeshifting, our clothes do affect our stealth. The capes are made of Vampire bat skins and blood of ancient vampires. They are invisible like us in a mirror and cover our clothes."

"You seem to know a lot about this?" I shrugged.

"I have learnt from my experiences. The last thing I want is for some human to see my clothes walking around and think they have seen a ghost. I don't want that to happen again." I muttered that last bit.

"Didn't you just learn to shape-shift?" he asked.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I haven't snuck out before. I am very fast."

"Can we ditch the capes now?" he asked.

"No, there are still cameras in the shops. Wear your cape, disable the camera and then take whatever you want."

"That is called stealing," said Dimitri with a stoic expression.

"Well, I don't think their opening hours match ours, do you?" I asked rhetorically.

"I don't steal."

"You don't have any other option so unless you brought cash with you, I see no other course of action." I told him. "Look, I'm going off to find some things I need. Do what you want, take from the sale section if it will make you feel less guilty. If you need me, just scream." I said and ran in the opposite direction from him. I found my first store and slid open the door slightly, so I could squeeze my way through. I wish I could density shift or turn to smoke but only the powerful ancient vampires can do that. I disabled the camera and got to work. I collected a bunch of clothes for myself and found some for Dimitri. If he refused to steal. I would still grab him some stuff. There was no way he could wear Mason's clothes anymore. I found a massive bag for all the stuff I had collected stuff and packed it full. Next, I headed to the jewellery shop and picked up a few expensive rubies and jewels that I would need later.

An hour later, I met up with Dimitri. He had ditched his no stealing rule and held a neat pile of clothes and shoes in one of his arms and in the other was my cape. What replaced the cape was a jacket made of leather like the cape but with sleeves and was missing the hood.

"So, you _did_ go 'Shopping'," I said.

"It seems I was left with no other option." I opened the bag and he placed his small handful of clothes and the cape in the bag.

"You should probably put that on," I said gesturing to the cape.

"Most of the cameras are out and this is much more comfortable," he said.

"What is that?"

"A duster. I wanted one when I was younger and when I saw it, I couldn't pass it up."

"Wow, so the cowboy fantasy becomes a reality." He rolled his eyes.

"Why do you have Diamonds?" he asked.

"They will come in handy later." I told him. he raised his eyebrow at me. "What? Your Duster was probably more expensive than those diamonds are." He didn't say anything. He just giving me that stupid look that almost made me feel guilty. "Come on, dawn is coming." I told him and shifted to a bat with the bag hanging from my feet. Dimitri followed quickly shifting and together we flew up and out through the skylight making sure to slide the glass back over the hole. We didn't fly through the clouds like before, one because the bag was too heavy, and two because dawn was coming, and we needed the cover of night to disguise us when we fly back to the academy. We got back to the academy quicker than when we went to the mall. Because of the bag I had to be a lot stealthier. I threw it with all my strength and it flew through the window and hit the wall of my room. Dimitri followed me inside and I started sorting out the contents of the bag.

"Tomorrow is Saturday so no school and I need you to come with me somewhere."

"would this have to do with the diamonds?" he asked.

"Yes, but it's not what you think. Trust me, I am doing this for you."

"For me? Why would you do all this for me?"

"Because I like you. I really like you and I want you to stay." He looked taken back by my words. I stood waiting for him to say something. He took a few steps towards me closing the distance between us until we were chest to chest.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered. "I like you too." I smiled and leant up as he came down and met me in a kiss. The kiss grew, and I was so close to repeating what happened this morning, but my mind screamed at me to wait and make it right. I pulled back first and looked to the window to see the sun was starting to rise.

"You should probably go back to your room. I'll see you tomorrow." He nodded giving me a quick last kiss before he picked up his piled and walked back to his room. once the door had closed I sighed and made my way towards my window, shutting it as the first ray shot through the trees and hit me causing a little smoke to come from me just as I shut the window. I didn't feel the burn. I was too high on the feeling of Dimitri and his kisses. I was more addicted to him then I was to blood. But something told me this was bad and this addiction will poison me as my venom had him.


	9. Chapter 9

I was up and dressed early the next day. I had texted Lissa that I would be gone all day and I needed her to cover for me if anyone asked. Now, I tugged on my leather jacket and zipped up my thigh high boots waiting for Dimitri. I didn't have to wait long for the quiet sound of a knock hit my door only moments after. I scooped up the diamonds and tucked them away into a small red velvet bag that made them look more authentic. Dimitri knocked again, and I opened the door using my mind. He slipped inside, and I closed the door behind him silently. He was dressed in a new pair of dark jeans and an ash grey casual shirt that showed all his muscles beautify. On top of that, he wore that leather duster. It seemed to change his look completely. Without it he looked young, he could pass for a teenager. With it, he looked older. More mature. On anyone else it would have looked stupid. On him, it looked sexy. He looked hot like the badass vampire he would become. He was death in a cowboy duster.

"Ready to go?" I asked.

"That depends where we are going," said Dimitri stubbornly crossing his arms against his chest and leaning back against my closed door.

"What happened to trust?" I asked smirking.

"I trust you, Roza, but I don't trust myself. I like having a plan and knowing what I am facing before I have to face it. I'm not as reckless as you." My lips tugged slightly when he said reckless.

"Fine. I am taking you to see one of Lissa's brothers old friends," I told him.

"Why did couldn't you just tell me that earlier?" asked Dimitri.

"I was close with Andre as well as Lissa. This guy used to come here and would always have the best parties. We were the only ones under sixteen who were invited, and I thought it was because Lissa was Andre's sister. Turns out he likes me."

"Why are we going to see him?"

"He is the only person I know can get the things we need. He was another son of a rich council member. His parents gave him full access to his trust fund after he turned sixteen. He turned his trust fund into a business. His parties would often have humans snuck in. we call them blood whores. Humans who know about us and have sex with in exchange for the rush and temporary vampiric our bite gives them. He could get anything anyone needed in exchange for something of equal value. Andre was a frequent customer. He offered Caleb money and all kinds of valuable trinkets in exchange for slayers blood. Caleb didn't want his money or his valuables, he wanted me. Andre asked me first and I agreed to flirt and entertain him at the parties, maybe allow a kiss or two, but nothing else. They graduated, and Andre died so I never saw Caleb again, but I know where he is. There are still some here paying for his services. He's only an hour outside the school grounds. We'll be there and back before lunch."

"What about the jewels?" he asked.

"I have no interest in diamonds," I told him. "These are our bait. He will take them when I tell them what they are. Blood diamonds. Mined from the vampire bat caves in Romania."

"Is that true?"

"No. they are just Rubies and other diamonds. I just have to give them a fancy title to make them seem interesting and he will be sold." Dimitri still looked hesitant. "Look, this is what we do. We are vampires. We lie, we cheat, and we kill. It's our nature. We have to go before everyone else is awake." Dimitri nodded and quickly shifted into a bat. I followed after him out the window. We zoomed through the trees like a maze. I flew down to the waterfall below and touched its water. It burned but I liked it. we flew for miles eventually making it to a small town. I flew down into an ally way and changed back. I didn't see where Dimitri went until I felt him come up behind me.

"What now?"

"Teenagers are all over the streets as this time waiting to get into clubs, just try to fit in. look human."

"Sure. How hard can it be?" we stepped out onto the street and walked down the cement path with sober young girls walking around waiting for the first clubs to open so they wouldn't have to buy a ticket. A smell hung in the air and I wasn't the only one who noticed. Dimitri sniffed and we both turned our heads in the same direction. Blood. I had planned to get blood when we got back but the smell made me realise just how hungry I was. A beautiful young girl in an unbelievably short dress stepped out of a door with the familiar dazed look in her eyes and the punctures on her neck, still spilling drops of blood down her fake tanned skin. She was a Blood whore just leaving last night's conquest to find another. Dimitri went to take a step towards her, but I stopped him before he could even put his foot down.

"Dimitri no," I said. he growled deeply. "I know. I can smell it too and it is torture. Fight it. you aren't a dark blood, you will never be a dark blood as long as you don't give into the blood lust." Dimitri looked at me and his expression changed. He stepped back and closed his eyes.

"I have to get out of here," he said. I nodded pulling him into the shadows and we both used our super speed to get down to the edge of the town. We stopped right in front of Caleb's house. A huge house stood looking as modern and suburban as all the others in the town. To me it held an edge of darkness as I knew more was hidden beneath. I walked up to the door and picked up the door knocker before dropping it back onto the mahogany wood. The door opened to an empty room.

"Well, well, well. if it isn't Rosemarie Hathaway." Came a deep echo of a voice down the hall.

"Hello Caleb. Long time, still no see." In an instant he appeared standing half way up the stairs in a beautiful flower embroidered robe stirring a cup I assumed was tea. He smiled when he saw me and dropped the cup not caring as the delicate china smashed to pieces and spilt out a strong golden liquid. Not tea, whiskey.

"Come in side, drop your coats and make yourself at home. I stepped inside and peeled off my leather jacket dropping it onto the floor and Dimitri followed suit, although I could tell he was hesitant to let go of his new duster. Caleb flew down behind me, separating Dimitri and me.

I turned to Dimitri and gave him a warning look and he released his fisted hands. Caleb placed his hand on the small of my back and led me through into a grand room. The fireplace was burning, and three antique sofas surrounded it. A crystal chandelier sat above our heads and all sorts of weapons, shields and suits of armour decorated each of the four walls. I sat down in the middle lounge with Caleb on one side of me and Dimitri on the other. "I can't tell you how much I have missed you. Immortality suits you, you seem to be even more beautiful than before."

"The Transformation change does wonders for every girl's appearance," I responded deflecting the compliments.

"The transformation didn't have to do much. If only we had reflection, so you could see what the rest of the world does." I gave him a small smile but turned away from his gaze. I hated when people made any sort of comments towards my appearance. After what happened, even compliments sting because behind them hold flaws.

"Tea?" Caleb asked gesturing towards the glass table where a set of china identical to the one he dropped sat.

"No thank you."

"What about your friend?" Caleb asked looking at Dimitri for the first time.

"This is Dimitri," I said. Dimitri held out his hand waiting for Caleb to shake it. Caleb didn't. He just looked at Dimitri's hand and scoffed.

"Charmed." Dimitri pulled his hand back and Caleb's attention was brought back to me. "I don't suppose you came all this way just to say 'hi'?"

"Afraid not, sorry."

"Back to business then. What can I do for you?" he asked.

"I have known you for a long time," I started. He nodded. "And I know you can keep a secret."

"Just tell me what you need, Rose."

"Dimitri is a Half-fang. A newly turned Half-fang." I said. Caleb looked at Dimitri like he was studying him.

"Why did the High Council let him go?" Caleb asked.

"They didn't. They don't know."

"You haven't handed him in?"

"No. Dimitri is my…friend. I know what they do with Half-fangs and I will not let them do that to Dimitri. I have kept him hidden so far."

"Do you really think you can do that forever. Especially at an academy, Rose. They will know the second he can't use any of his abilities."

"Dimitri is different. He can do things that Half-fangs shouldn't be able to do, and I don't know why."

"And that makes a difference? Rose, you can't ask me to keep this secret."

"I'm not asking you to lie. Just to keep it from the council. They will never know if I get the things I need."

"And what do you need?" he asked.

"He needs a cape and all the other things that all born vampires would have. I need you to make up a family crest for him and give him a history. I know you can do it. you did it for Celine. When she wanted to hide in the human world you made sure she disappeared from our governments system by saying she was slain."

"How did you know that?"

"She told me. I was the only one she told. I know where she is, and I know what she payed you. You are the only one who can help." Caleb didn't respond. His eyes flicked around the room as he thought.

"I can do it." he said at last. I gave him a bright smile. "If the price is right." My smile dropped but I brought out the bag and handed it to him. he shook it before opening it and looking at its content.

"Blood diamonds. Mined from the vampire bat caves in Romania," I told him.

"How did you get these?" he asked. I shrugged casually.

"found it in a tiara. It was a family heirloom but I'm the only one left in my family and I don't care for trinkets. But you do."

"This is a worthy offer," Caleb beamed. "But there is something else I want." My stomach sunk.

"Name your price."

"You." he said.

"Me?"

"I know you don't love me and I know I can't force you to. But you know I have feelings for you. All I ask is that _when_ this all blows up and your Half-fang is discovered and taken away, you come to me and become my bride."

"Your Bride?" I asked.

"Marrying me will protect you from the punishments of our government and you will be mine. It's a win, win situation." Beside me, I felt Dimitri stiffen. I didn't know what to do. Caleb's use of 'when' instead of 'if' didn't escape me. Neither did the emphasis he placed on it. I knew we would succeed and Dimitri would stay as long as we got what we needed to keep this charade up.

"Deal." I said and reached out my hand to shake on the deal. Caleb took it and kissed the top of it with a smirk. "But only _If_ it goes wrong and you promise you will keep out of it. if I find out you are the reason this fails, the deal is off." I told him. He smirked.

"It's like you know my devious plan before I do. Don't worry. I will keep my distance and I will get you what you need just leave the list." Caleb stood and walked out of the room. I turned to Dimitri. He was as stiff as a statue with clenched fists and eyes that bore into mine pleading me to say no.

"Don't worry," I told him. "We came here to get the things you need so you won't be outed. If we get them no one will ever know." Dimitri didn't relax or even move.  
"Coming?" asked Caleb from the doorway. Dimitri came to life and grabbed my hand tightly holding onto me as we walked with called down the grand staircase to a dark dungeon looking basement. I was amazed. Is business had really grown since he was at the academy. he had everything a vampire could ever need.

"I will create his background and send a fake family crest to you at the academy. no one will know what it is. Here you can find most of things you need but if something is missing, I will get it and you'll have to come back and pick it up." I nodded.

"Thank you."

"Look around, I'll be upstairs when you're done." He left leaving Dimitri and I to search for the things we needed. The coffin was easy to find and there actually was one that fit Dimitri. It was actually slightly bigger then him. Dimitri looked around at the ancient artefacts as I started building my collection of things we needed. The cape would be the hardest. It would have to be a custom fit to Dimitri to cover him entirely, and it wasn't like we could just order one off eBay. I managed to find a few more things like a fang sharpener, garlic protection spray and ancient vampiric ring. I also gathered a few things to help decorate his room to be more vampiric. With Dimitri's help, we brought everything upstairs. Caleb had changed from his robe and was now wearing a tailormade black suit with crimson red tie.

"That's it then?" he asked.

'Not quite, we need a vampire cape," I told him.

"Hmm. That will be tricky. There aren't many vampires who make them anymore, but I'll see what I can do," said Caleb.

"Thank you again," I said and moved to pick up the coffin.

"Leave the coffin. I'll have it sent to you." I released the coffin as he approached me. "Goodbye, Rosemarie. I will see you soon," he said shooting a look to Dimitri behind me.

"Not soon enough," I said and moved to Dimitri's side.

"Eternity is a long time, my darling. And I have a feeling I will be seeing you sooner than you might think." He turned from us and flew back up the grand stairs in a flash. We left the coffin and gathered up the rest of the supplies and slipped on our jackets before shifting and making our way back to the academy.

It was past lunch time when we got back. Dimitri and I dropped off his things in his room before headed to the feeders. Once replenished, we headed back to Dimitri's room to unpack. His clothes were already stacked neatly in the closet. The room looked more like a shell then a room. nothing in here was personal. It was just a place to sleep and change. I got to work decorating his room with strips of material and jewellery. The coffin in the middle of the room hadn't been touched by Dimitri. If he tried to get in there it would have snapped in half.

"Where have you been sleeping?" I asked Dimitri.

"I emptied part of the wardrobe and slept upright in there."

"Wasn't that uncomfortable?"

"It was better than that one," he said gesturing to the coffin. Mine was bigger then I needed. I liked having room to move around but that still didn't stop me from bumping my head a few times. I turned to the coffin and in a simple flick, it turned to ash. It was the only way to discreetly get rid of a coffin. It wasn't Masons anyway, his was taken away and replaced with a temporary academy coffin given to students on the brink of transforming to practice. It was cheaply made and crumpled to dust easily almost like it were made of cardboard.

"your coffin will be here soon. Do you think you can put up with the wardrobe for a couple more days?" I asked. Dimitri nodded taking a step towards me.

"I think I can manage." Dimitri leant in and I met him in a deep kiss. Dimitri pulled back but held me tight against him. "Rose, you shouldn't have done that. You promised you would marry him."

"Only if you are discovered and I plan that will never happen. You will stay Dimitri. With me. I will keep you safe. No one will ever know." We met again in a kiss and this time we didn't stop. We could have gone further but both of us knew it wasn't the right time. So he held me and I curled into him with my head resting on his chest in the place where heart was once beating.

"Why did he call you, Rosemarie?" asked Dimitri as he soothingly stroked my hair.

"It's my full name. Rosemarie Hathaway," I told him.

"You never told me this before."

"Because I hate it. I much prefer, Rose. The only people who know my full name is the academy and The Dragomir's. Caleb must have known it from Andre." Dimitri stopped stroking my hair and I turned to him. "Don't be jealous. I don't tell anyone my real name."

"It's not that"

"Then what?" I asked.

"We should talk," he said.

"We are talking," I stated.

"I meant about us. You have done all this for me and it is clear there is something between us, but what if it doesn't work out?"

"All couples go through ups and downs, but vampires love is different to humans. We don't just break up, it is much more excruciating then that. When love is declared between two vampires they are married by biting each other. Their blood flows through each other veins and bounds them. Leaving the other is like ripping part of yourself out. it does happen, and we heal but not easily. We also tend to hold grudges and do not forgive easily." Dimitri chucked. "I'm not making you sign a contract and I am certainly not proposing, but this feels right. Let's just see where it takes us. When we graduate we might go our separate ways, but eternity is a long time, I have a feeling we would bump into each other from time to time." Dimitri didn't respond. He was still for a moment before he leant down and kissed the top of my head.

"it would be a lot more frequent then that," he said, and I could feel his smirk on my head.


	10. Chapter 10

Time flew by in the blink of an eye. Dimitri's things were delivered, and I was training him to his full Vampire Potential. In some ways I was scared because he was growing to be more powerful than half the Vampires at the academy. I was scared of his potential and what it meant. Dimitri and I became the power couple of the school. With my help, he turned into a true evil Vampire and ditched all his Slayer human morals, well he did in front of people. When we were alone he was that same, always giving me his famous Zen life lessons. I faked boredom, but I was happy he hadn't completely changed. The two of us ruled the school and sat firmly at the top of the class in all vampiric subjects. Dimitri was going to make an amazing vampire.

We walked down the hall in matching black. His hand rested on the small of my back, dangerously close to my ass. As we passed, girls bared their fangs and hissed in my direction, but I just smirked and turned to Dimitri who was looking down at me with a smirk mirroring mine. Trials were just two days away and then after that was the real test. Our final test before graduating. Dimitri and I walked into the class and sat down at our usual desk. Lissa sat in front us and was beaming me a cheesy smile. dressed in pink and white, I doubted she had an evil bone in her body.

Compulsion class was Lissa's best, so It was no shock when the teacher called her up to demonstrate. What was a surprise was the person who was called up to challenge her. Dimitri. I gasped but didn't have the chance to object before Dimitri made his way to the front of the class and the staring contest began. As usual I expected Lissa to win and waited for Dimitri to turn into one of her puppets but instead I saw something different. Lissa's face fell, and she stood back still with wide unblinking eyes. The teacher watched in shock as Dimitri smiled flashing his fangs and spoke with a smooth silky voice almost pulling me into his trance along with Lissa.

"Tell me your biggest secret," he said, and I panicked. I knew what Lissa's biggest secret was, it was the same as mine. The secret we shared on how Dimitri became what he is.

Lissa's mouth opened and closed a few times like she was trying to fight the words from coming out.

"Rose…" she started. "Rose…turned-" she started but she couldn't continue as I had jumped out of my seat and ran up to her, clamping my hand over her mouth preventing any more words from escaping her lips.

"No." I said. "Do me." Snickers and giggles ran out through the class.

"Doesn't he do you enough Hathaway. Maybe you need someone with more experience to tend to your needs," said Jessie. Other boys laughed but I ignored them looking at Dimitri. I leant in closer to him and whispered so only he could hear me.

"Believe me comrade, Lissa has a lot of embarrassing secrets and most of them are about me. I'd rather the whole school doesn't know my embarrassing secrets." Dimitri backed up and nodded clicking his fingers and releasing Lissa. She blinked a couple of times and I pulled back my hand from her mouth.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Looks like you have competition," I said looking to Dimitri. She looked to Dimitri then to me and her eyes widened.  
"What did I do?" she asked.

"Nothing, I stepped in before you could admit anything you'd regret," I told her. "Go sit down Lissa, I'll take it from here." She moved to her seat and sat down with a dazed look still on her face. How could Dimitri compel Lissa? She was stronger than every student and teacher here? Maybe she was just distracted for a second. I turned to Dimitri and opened my eyes to stare into his red irises ringed with brown. Dimitri may be stronger then Lissa in compulsion, but I knew I would win. Lissa was stronger than me but there was one slight advantage I had. As his sire, Dimitri couldn't compel me, and I didn't have to compel him to make him do whatever I wanted. Dimitri stared into my eyes with the same look of determination he had when he was compelling Lissa, it didn't help this time. Within seconds his face softened, and he straightened up. My eyes were still on his as I leant into his ear and whispered my command. I stood back, and Dimitri reached out his hand and created a tornado that picked up jessie out of his seat and threw him across the room. the class laughed but Jessie just glared at me as he picked himself of the floor.

"That," I started. "Is nothing compared to what you deserve." I said. The teacher said something, but I ignored him clicking my fingers and releasing Dimitri before pulling him with my back to our desk.

"Rose, what did you make me do?" he asked.

"Revenge for a deserving moron." I said as we sat back down. The teacher called up more students to demonstrate. I watched Lissa to see if she was still slightly in a trance or if there was any risk she could still spill the beans. The bell rang, and we moved off to different classes. I couldn't even register the class I was in or anything the teacher was saying. All I thought about was how close I was to having everything destroyed. Lunch came. Dimitri and I sat with the others at our usual table. Lissa still didn't look completely settled. She met my eyes and I sent her a telepathic message.

 _Come talk to me later?_

She nodded. Dimitri and I left before the bell went. For the last few weeks, we hardly saw our friends. Except for classes, we kept to ourselves. The only reason we went to the table today was to see how Lissa was after what happened earlier.

We headed to the feeders getting in a quick bite before making our way to our favourite spot. The roof.

"What did you make me do to Jessie?" he asked.

"I just made you use a little air magic to send him flying into a wall." I shrugged.

"Revenge for what he said before?" he asked.

"You heard that?"

"Everyone heard that, Roza. He announced it to the class."

"That doesn't matter because no one knows the truth."

"That we haven't had sex?" he asked.

"Everyone thinks I'm a slut. I have accepted that and played the part in how I dress and act but, knowing it isn't true is the only thing that gets me through the whispers and rumours." Dimitri grabbed my hand and squeezed lightly.

"I know it's not true. I'm not trying to pressure you or anything, I just want you to know you shouldn't be scared to have sex because you are worried what people will say. When you are ready, I will be too. You aren't a slut, you have never been a slut. Sex is fun. Having sex with one guy or two or three or a hundred will never change my opinion on you. You are so Strong, so beautiful and I love you."

His words meant so much to me and for the first time, I could really see he did love me. I loved him like I never thought I could love anyone and at that moment I knew the time was right. I squeezed his hand.

"Thank you. I think- I know I am ready," I told him. He gave me a questioning look.

"Are you sure?" he asked. I nodded. "The first time will hurt at first," he said. I nodded.

"I know. I don't care. I can endure pain as long as I'm with you." I said. He kissed me and I responded instantly to the kiss. I peeled off my leather jacket and started to pull his duster off. He chuckled against my mouth and pulled back.  
"Not now Roza. Tonight, come to my room after dinner."

"Okay, I have to meet with Lissa first. I promised we would have some girl talk time." Dimitri nodded.

"One more thing," he said. "How does Vampire contraception work?" I laughed.

"Don't worry, I have the rod. I didn't want to get my period during trials." Dimitri nodded. The bell went, and we left out spot and headed to class. Again, I was distracted but for a better reason. I was excited for tonight, but also nervous. Dimitri had obviously done it before when he was a human, this was my first time. I didn't know what to do or how to make it good for him. I had been warned about the pain from Lissa, but I also knew it couldn't be as bad as some of the things I have suffered through. The bell for Last period rang and I raced out back to my door to get changed before meeting Lissa and then going to Dimitri. I picked out my sexiest underwear and put on my favourite red skirt and matching strapless shirt. I wanted something hot that would be easy to take off. I slipped on my heels just as Lissa sent me a Telepathic message.

 _Come to my room, I'm on my way now._

I ran over to Lissa's room just as she arrived.

"Lissa, we really need to talk about what happened," I started. Lissa nodded and opened her door.

"Inside," she whispered. We hurried inside her room and she closed the door behind her. "I think I am losing control of my abilities." She admitted.

"Okay, isn't that why they were sending Adrian? Because he was like you?" Lissa nodded.

"Yes, they were, but they held him back because of his blood addiction. He is coming just before trials begin."

"is there anything he can't get addicted to," I muttered remembering his famous reputation.

"Rose, I am really worried, that's why I need him. Every day my vampiric abilities are getting weaker and weaker. Compulsion has always been my strongest power and yet Dimitri was able to compel _me."_

"I'm still unsure of the reason for that myself." I admitted.

"You were able to compel him," she said.

"Because I am his sire. He can't compel me no matter how strong he is. I don't even have to compel him. if I order him to do anything, he has to obey." I told her.

"I almost revealed our biggest secret. I still could, all anyone has to do now is compel me to reveal it and I'll just come right out and tell them everything. How Dimitri was a slayer, how he killed Mason and how you turned him into one of us."

"Don't worry, Lissa. Adrian is coming soon, and he will be able to help you get your Vampire mojo back." she smiled and took my hands before she looked me over.

"You look nice. What's happening tonight?" she asked. I couldn't help the smile that stretched across my face.

"Tonight's _the_ night," I told her. her eyes widened.

" _The Night?_ You and Dimitri?" she asked. I nodded. "Oh my god Rose. How could you have not told me before? She asked.

"I haven't been planning this for weeks Lissa. We talked about it today and I realised I'm ready. I trust him, and I love him." Lissa nodded with glassy eyes that almost looked like tears.

"Come on, I'll help you with your hair and makeup." She led me over to her vanity and started on my hair. She braided half my hair into a crown at the back of my head.

"Keeping your hair off your face will make it better." As she curled my hair I started on makeup. I just touched up my normal makeup and added some more mascara and blush. I reached for the lipstick, but Lissa swatted my hand away.

"No lipstick and no eyeshadow. Trust me," she said as I shot her a look. "It just gets everywhere and makes a mess."

"You sure seem to know a lot about this," I smirked.

"I have learnt from experience. Valentine's day fiasco gone wrong. Nothing says I just had sex like lipstick smudges all over your face. Red is the worst." She said.

"Ugh I don't want to know," I told her and applied a gloss instead. She finished my hair and walked with me to Dimitri's room.

"Remember what I said about the pain?" she asked. I nodded. "it's not so bad but just make sure you tell him if it hurts too much," she said. we stopped outside his door and she hugged me before walking away leaving me staring at the door knowing that if I walked in I would walk out different. Was I ready? Yes. It was kind of like the transformation that changed me from human to Vampire although this one would change me from girl to woman. With that in mind, I knocked on his door and it opened to reveal a perfect set up. On the floor was a pile of white blankets with scattered rose petals on top. Dimitri stood in a button down white shirt and black slacks. He was looking me over with a lustful look in his eyes. I bit my lip with my fang sticking out slightly.

"See something you like Comrade?" I asked playfully. Dimitri met my eyes.

"Lot's," he said in a deep husky voice that sent shivers down my back. he stepped towards me breaking the space between us. He looked down at me with lust in his eyes and I took a quick breath swallowing my doubts. His mouth met mine and I wrapped my arms around him. He held me against him and trailed his hands over my body before he found the Zip on my top and pulled it down slowly. I knew I could tell him to stop and he would instantly, but I didn't want him to stop.

My top fell off revealing my bra. We didn't break the kiss. I trailed my hands up his toned stomach and slowly undid each button. Once they were all undone. He pulled his shirt off and threw it over to the other side of the room, he didn't care. We stood back admiring each other's bodies before coming back to each other's embrace. His lips came to my neck and I moaned as he sucked my sweet spot. Slowly he lowered me down on the blankets. I could smell the perfume of the rose petals mixed with his cologne and it was intoxicating.

The rest of our clothes came off quickly after and were thrown around the room like confetti. He broke this kiss and pulled back to look at me. we were both naked, with Dimitri hovering over me between my legs. His eyes asked the question and I moved my hand brushing the strands of hair out of his eyes and smiled giving him my permission. Our hips met. There was pain as Lissa had waned me, but I barely noticed it. I focussed on Dimitri and the love we shared. Dimitri was gentle when he had control, but he was also more than willing to give me control more than once. We loved each other over and over that night until we were exhausted, and I passed out with my head on his chest and his arm around my shoulders.

I woke up first the next morning, I sat up and smiled down at Dimitri. Wrapped in the thin sheet. He looked so young and at peace when he was asleep. I didn't want to wake him. I slipped out of his grasp and searched around the room for my discarded clothes. I found them and changed quickly writing Dimitri a note that I was going to have a shower and get changed and I would come back so we could go to breakfast together. I kissed him quickly and he stirred slightly but did not wake up. No one was awake yet, which made it easier to sneak back to my room.

I almost didn't want to shower because I didn't want to lose the burning feeling of Dimitri's touch on my body. I chucked that thought out of my head as soon as I saw my messed-up hair and smudged eye makeup. Lissa was right about the lipstick and I was so glad I didn't wear any. I took out my hair and untangled the knots from the braid. After a quick shower, I changed into a pair of comfy jeans and a tight long sleeve shirt with a red choker firmly around my neck covering most of the hickeys Dimitri had given me until they healed.

I made my way to Dimitri's room and walked in. The blankets were still on the floor with the crushed rose petals on the crinkled sheets. His clothes were removed from the floor and there was no sign of Dimitri. I suspected he missed my message and just went to breakfast without me.  
 _Rose! Come quickly!_

Said Lissa in my head. I ran as fast as I could and found her looking stressed with her nails between her teeth.

"Lissa? Lissa what happened?" I asked. She was paler then usual if that was possible. She looked at me with tears welling in her eyes.

"Remember the conversation we had in my room yesterday?" she asked. I nodded. Apparently Christian was waiting in my room but when he heard your voice, he hid. He heard our entire conversation. He knows about Dimitri." She explained.

"It's okay, Christian can keep a secret," I said trying to calm her. She shook her head causing a tear of blood to spill out of her eye.

"He told Eddie," she said.

"What?" I asked. Panic hit me hard.

"Christian thought Eddie had a right to know," she said.

"Eddie will kill Dimitri!" I shouted in panic. Lissa shook her head.

"He's going to do worse, he's going to tell him." I felt my stomach sink. Before Lissa could say anything, I ran off, I ran passed stand and ignored his shouts for me to stop. I ran into the cafeteria, but I was too late. A circle had formed in the centre of the room with cheering shouts from the spectators. I pushed my way through to find Eddie and Dimitri fighting each other and Christian standing on the other side with his arms folded over his chest shaking his head at me. I ran in and stood between Dimitri and Eddie forcing them to stop. I looked at Dimitri as he glared at me with hate in his eyes.

"Is it true?" he asked. I didn't say anything.

"Rose, tell us the truth," said Eddie. "Tell us the truth that you have hidden from us for months. That your little boyfriend is a half-fang. Not only that, but he is a slayer half-fang, responsible for the attack on our school and the deaths of our friends. Tell us how he killed Mason, one of your best friends and how you still saved him by turning him into one of us and hiding him among us." I looked at Eddie with sorrow in my eyes but couldn't bring myself to say anything.

"You turned our enemy into one of us and hid a murderer among us allowing him to get close to us and learn all our secrets." I still didn't speak. The room had gone quiet as people waited in anticipation.

"Roza," said Dimitri breaking the silence. "Is it true?" he asked. "Did you turn me?" I looked into his eyes and one word fell from my lips.

"Yes." Dimitri looked shattered. He pulled away from me and pushed his way through the crowd. I looked to Eddie who was glaring at me. tears fell from my eyes. "I'm sorry," I whispered and ran off after Dimitri. He was fast now but I was still faster. I caught up to him and we both slowed down to human pace. With his long legs, he could walk faster than me and, in my heels, I struggled to keep up.

"Dimitri wait," I called to him. He stopped and turned to me.

"Why? So you can lie again?"

"I only lied to protect you," I argued.

"Protect me? How?" he asked.

"What would you have done if you knew the truth?"

"I would have found a way to make sure every last one of you was staked by the slayers and I would save myself for last, so I could make sure there were no survivors."

"A lie was much easier than the truth. It brought us together. You love me, and I love you. if I told you the truth we would have never had this."

"This?" he asked. "There is nothing between us. I don't love you, I hate you. You destroyed my world and turned me into the creature I swore to rid the world of. I don't love you. Love fades, mine has." He spat out like poison that burned me. He turned to leave, but I didn't let him.

"No," I said with an outstretched hand. Dimitri froze with his back to me. "As your sire, I command you to stay." I ordered. Dimitri turned and came towards me.

"You may control me, you can command me to do whatever you want, but the one thing you cannot command me to do, is love you," he said with stone cold eyes. I looked into his eyes and focused my compulsion, but nothing happened. I blinked taking a step back.

"You will not leave this place unless you have my permission. You can avoid me as much as you want but I won't allow you to leave so you can get yourself or anyone else killed."

"You are the one I want dead most of all, but I don't want it to be a quick staking. I want it to be slow and painful, so you know what it is like to have your soul extracted from your body. You were wrong, Rose. There may be two kinds of vampires, but both are just as evil as each other. You are a monster. He walked off leaving me standing with a red blood tear stained face.

"Hey, are you okay?" asked a new voice. I turned and met a pair of red eyes rimmed in a similar green to Lissa's.

"How much of that did you hear?" I asked. Wiping away the dried blood.

"All of it," he said and pulled out a silk handkerchief. "I didn't mean to overhear but I just arrived don't really know my way around, I couldn't sneak away before you came."

"It's okay," I sniffled. "it's not like it's a secret anymore. The whole school knows what happened."

"Trust me I know what it is like to be the outcast and the one people talk about." He said, and he took the hanky wiping off the rest of the blood streaks. "It sucks not having any secrets just for yourself. It seems like everyone knows your secrets before you have a chance to reveal them for yourself."

"Tell me about it," I sniffled again. "Thanks."

"No problem. Heart break hurts more than a broken bone. Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really, sorry. I just don't really want to talk to a stranger about my love life," I said.

"But they are the best people to confess it all to." He said giving me a small smile.

"Sorry." I said.

"What if we weren't strangers?" he asked with a smirk. He stretched out his hand. "Hello, I'm Adrian Ivashkov." I gasped.


	11. Chapter 11

Adrian waited for me to answer but I couldn't shake off my surprise.

"And you are?" I shook my head and blinked quickly.

"Sorry, Rose Hathaway." I said shaking his hand.

"Why the shocked expression? It couldn't be the dashing good looks could it? or maybe from all the court gossip you have heard about me." he said.

"No, sorry. It's just, you're here to work with Lissa and she is my best friend."

"So, you are the little Night-rider I have heard so much about?" he smiled. "I have heard you are a very promising vampire."

"Thanks, but I doubt I will have much of a future as a night-rider now," I said.

"Why? Because you sired a human?"

"No, because I sired a slayer, and I fell in love with him." I said looking down.

"Oh. That is a little more complicated," he said.

"You are good at compulsion, right?" I asked.

"Do you want me to compel someone?" he smirked.

"No, Lissa needs help."

"That is why I am here," he said.

"I'll take you to her," I said.

"Don't you have your own little situation to take care of?" he asked. I shook my head.

"He doesn't want anything to do with me. I need to be there for my best friend right now. everything else can wait."

I took Adrian to Lissa's room she was crying because she felt like she had failed me as a friend. I knew it wasn't her fault. We didn't know Christian was listening or that he would tell Eddie.

"Lissa, this is Adrian Ivashkov," I said gently once she had stopped crying.

"Hello cousin," Said Adrian.

"You are cousins?" I asked.

"All the high council is related in some way or another. Ivashkov and Dragomir are closer than the others. See, same eyes." He said. "What's happening cousin?"

"I don't know. I used to have complete control of my vampiric abilities but recently, I feel like I am losing control. I used to be very strong at compulsion but recently I have felt weak." She told Adrian.

"The same thing happened to me. It is rare and there aren't a lot of us, but I have found some others who went through something similar." Adrian said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Some Vampires who started strong but got weaker as they grew older. Start losing abilities until they are eighteen and by that time they are practically human. I had lost my fangs and was binging on human food during the day time." Said Adrian.

"How did you get over it?" I asked.

"I chose to be a vampire again and went through a second ceremony. After that I was given a few extra vampire abilities, I have a reflection and I can walk in the sunlight, but it does burn. I can also see auras and dream walk."

"So, I will get weaker and weaker until I am eighteen?" asked Lissa.

"Yes, then at that age you can make the choice." He said.

"Choice?" asked Lissa.

"To become human or stay a vampire."

Adrian explained his own experience with the 'choice' and then quickly left to get settled into his room.

"Do you think it's true?" asked Lissa.

"I…I don't know, Liss," I said.

"I'm losing all my vampiric abilities as he said he did. I'm becoming human."

"until your eighteen, ten you will be a vampire again. A vampire even stronger then you were before with new abilities," I said. Lissa didn't say anything but a look on her face turned my optimism around. "Do you want to be human? I know you have always fought the evil ways of a vampire, but you don't actually want to be human, do you?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I have always wished I could have been human but now that I have the choice, I don't know what I want." I took her hand and squeezed gently.

"We'll get through this. Adrian is going to help you and I will stay by your side," I promised. She nodded.

"Enough about me, what happened with Dimitri?" I shook my head as images and words flew through my head.

"He hates me, Lissa." My voice cracked, and my words came out a horse whisper. Lissa pulled me into a hug and stroked my hair.

"Oh, Rose. I am so sorry. It's all my fault."

"No, it wasn't your fault, it's mine. I should have told him the truth from the start. Maybe it would have been better if he was sent off to the court," I said pulling back from her.

"No. You have been so happy since he came here. You have been happier than I have seen you since the accident. You love him."

"I did, I still do, but that doesn't matter. He can't stand me. I turned him into a monster. I can't even face Eddie or Christian. Eddie looked shattered, like I betrayed him. And Christian, he just looked at me like I had brought all this on myself."

"I'll kill Christian when I find him," said Lissa. I laughed.

"No, I'm actually not mad. I just feel numb. I should have just killed him in the woods and left him before I had the chance to know him and love him.

"You may put up a tough exterior, Rose Hathaway but I know you. You were in love with him before he was turned. You couldn't kill him even if you wanted to. Everyone deserves a chance at love. This story is not over yet." Said Lissa. I could see the hope in her eyes, but I knew the truth.

"It is over, Lissa. Dimitri and I are over. As his sire I can force him to do anything I want, everything, except love me. I wonder how long it will be before the council calls Dimitri and me to court. A few days? A week at most." Lissa didn't fight me. she just took my hand again and squeezed gently.

"Trials start tomorrow. Just focus on that." I nodded. I had to push everything out of my head and focus on trials. Nothing else mattered. I needed to get through my trials. I left Lissa with a small hug and went back to my room. I had already missed first period and second period was about halfway through. I wasn't feeling up to having everyone staring at me all day. I rounded the corner and froze when I saw Eddie standing at my door. His eyes met mine and I turned to leave but he grabbed my arm pulling me back to him.

"Rose, wait." I spun around and met his eyes with a harsh glare. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked folding my arms across my chest.

"For what happened this morning. I thought about it for a while and I realised why you did what you did." He started. I waited for him to continue. Eddie smiled widely. "It was pure genius. Turning that slayer into one of us was genius. I'm sorry for what I said earlier. It would have been so simple to kill him, over in the blink of an eye, but turning him into the one thing he never wanted to be. Turning him into the thing he hates, genius." I stared up at Eddie in shock. He thought I did this for revenge on Dimitri? I opened my mouth with the words ready on my tongue, but Eddie cut me off. "I have got to say Hathaway, this has to be the evillest thing you have ever done. I bet Mason is laughing his ass off right now." at the mention of Mason, all words were lost. Dimitri would never forgive me, I knew that. What I needed was Eddie's forgiveness, so I decided I would let him believe the truth he needed. I put on a fake smile.

"Everything went according to plan," I said. Eddie laughed and hugged me tight.

"Don't worry, I will tell everyone what you did, and you will be a hero. Who cares about that half-fang? Let him suffer knowing he is a vampire for all eternity. Let him drink the blood of the humans he called friends while we dance bathed in the blood of his fellow slayers." A new side of Eddie came out and took over him. A truly evil side, one that terrified me. I didn't get the chance to say anything. Eddie kissed me on the forehead and ran off to tell everyone of my 'heroic' deed. I walked into my room with wide unblinking eyes. Only after I had shut and locked my door, did I allow myself to cry. The tears feel silently from my eyes. I didn't sob or wail, I just let them fall and caught them in my hands.

I must have passed out for when I woke the sun was just starting to rise and I was still sitting with my back against my door. The blood in my hands had dried up staining my hands. I washed my hands and face. I dried my face on the towel and then I heard a loud noise from the room next door. I ran out as fast as I could to see Dimitri holding a handful of things that I had given him when he was first turned. The clothes I had first given him that were Mason's and the blankets we made love on not even twenty-four hours ago. He glared when he saw me and stormed down the hall way. I followed him close behind.

"Where are you going?" I could hear my desperation in my voice.

"Why ask? You could always command me to tell you," he said. His voice was monotone, but his anger was clear.

"What are you doing with those?" I asked ignoring his last statement.

"Burning them." he said Simply. We turned a corner and came outside on the academy field. I followed him across the grass.

"What?"

"I don't want any part of you in my life. I'm getting rid of it all," he said dropping the pile onto the ground and raised his hand ready to light the flame. I jumped pulling his arm down.

"No!" Dimitri leant in and whispered into my ear in the most twisted voice I had ever heard.

"I may not be able to get rid of you, but I will get rid of every memory I can."

"Why are you doing this?" I asked my voice quiet.

"I want to see you hurt. I heard you. I heard your little conversation with Eddie. This is your form of revenge," he said gesturing to his neck where I had bitten him. "This is mine." he clicked his fingers and the flame lit engulfing the pile of our memories. I sunk to my knees and watched, and the flames grew higher turning the evidence of our love, to ash. Dimitri turned and left me on my knees as my already broken heart shattered. I don't know how long I sat watching the fire grow. The sun rose quickly, and its deadly beams hit me causing my body to smoke. I couldn't feel the pain, I couldn't feel anything. At that point, I was happy to die, to turn to ash with the memories. I collapsed to the ground as the smoke grew. My skin could have melted off my bones and I wouldn't have noticed. I closed my eyes and whispered: "I'm ready to die." Apparently, someone had another plan for me. I felt as someone picked me up off the ground.

"Not today, little Devil." Said a voice and we flew out of the sun and into the safety of the Academy. I was conscious for a few seconds, but I couldn't maintain it, so I let myself get taken by the darkness.

I woke to the sound of a loud beep. My eyes fluttered open to the bright lights in a bright white room. I pulled myself up on the small bed of the academy clinic. I turned to find Adrian sitting in a chair beside my bed with an unlit cigarette between his lips. Adrian took the cigarette out and smiled.

"Finally," he said. I pulled myself up into a sitting position and groaned.

"How long have I been out?" I asked.

"Only a few hours. The sun is still up and won't be down for a while," Adrian said. I slumped back against my pillow and stared up at the ceiling.

"You saved me, didn't you?" I asked not looking away from the ceiling.

"I had to, little Devil. You have so much potential, you cannot die so young and Suicide will not be your end." I turned to Adrian.

"I didn't want to die but I couldn't move. It was like I was stuck to the ground while the sun burnt me to dust. I couldn't feel anything. I didn't even feel the pain when the sun touched me. I didn't want to die, but I accepted it and I was ready." Adrian looked at me in silence for a couple of moments before he stood up and came to my bedside.

"Heartbreak is the most painful injury, it hurts us more than any physical injury because it hurts us both physically and mentally. It burns us from the inside out and takes us over making us do stupid things. Love makes us sick, weak and broken, but can also make us strong."

"I lost Love Adrian," I said.

"I know, that is what I mean," he said. I gave him a confused look. "The hardest part is over. You have seen the lowest point you could go and now you have to pick yourself up and use that heartbreak to make yourself strong. Channel your pain, your anger and your sorrow and become the Badass Vampire you know you can be," he said. I smiled at Adrian's words and he tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. My mind processed his words and my face fell into a frown.

"How do you know so much about me? You only came yesterday but you know so much about me."

"My aunt gave me your file along with Vasilissa's. Since you are best friends and grew up with the same family, she thought it would help me to understand her." I nodded accepting his answer. "Also," he started. "I can see your Aura."

"Aura?" I asked.

"It's a kind of light that surrounds you. it can tell me a lot about a person. Their emotions, their desires, their fears. I saw yours the day I first met you after your half-fang left."

"And what did you see?" I asked.

"Darkness."

"What does that mean?"

"It can mean a lot of things. I have seen darkness in other people's auras. They still have colour, but it is surrounded by darkness. Yours was different."  
"How."

"It was pure black, like a candle that once burned brightly had suddenly just burnt out." Adrian said.

"And now?" I asked Hesitantly.

"The darkness is still there but there is also some light. That's how I know you aren't broken." I nodded.

"I feel broken."

"Now you do but focus on what's really important."

"Trials," I whispered. My eyes grew wide and my jaw dropped. "Shit!"

"What? What's wrong?" Adrian asked.

"My trials start today, I need to get back to my room and prepare." I said pulling myself out of my bed and running for the door.

"Little Devil, the sun is still up." Adrian protested.

"That won't stop me," I said and shifted quickly into a wolf. I ran out the room and down the halls following the twists and turns until I made it to my room. I shifted back and walked in instantly rushing around gathering everything I needed. I sped read every book I had and practiced everything I could in my compact space. When there was nothing else I could do, I went to have a shower and get ready, so I could go for an early run on the track when the sun had started to set.

My shower was quick, not because I was short on time, but because on the banging and moaning from the room next door. I ignored it as much as I could but put my hairdryer on full power hoping to block them out and so they would know someone could hear them. it did nothing. I changed into a hair of thick black leather jeans and a tight black shirt. I put on my leather jacket and made sure to wear the only pair of shoes I had that didn't have six-inch heels. My black combat boots. I pulled my hair up into a tight ponytail and walked out without bothering to do any makeup.

I walked out just in time to see Dimitri just in his boxers with his hand wrapped around the waist of a blonde girl in a skimpy red dress creased and crunched to match her knotted hair. Dimitri's eyes flicked to me and he leant down to kiss the girl. It hurt to watch. I wanted to punch the girl and rip out her extensions, but Adrian's words flashed through my head. I put on my mask and walked past them completely ignoring her moans and giggles.


	12. Chapter 12

Students sat in row upon row filling out the school hall. Kirova stood at the front addressing the students with a smug smile on her overly bright painted lips. It took all the strength I had not the zone off, but I knew this was important, so I endured the torture.

"As Headmistress of this academy, I would just like to say how proud I am of each and every one of you." Next to me, Eddie nudged me with his elbow pulling my attention to him where he gave a dramatic eye roll. A smile tugged at my lips as I remembered I was not the only one who had been waiting a lifetime for this. I was not the only one who grew up here. I was dropped off at a very early age and was here for years before anyone else was dropped with me. Mason and Eddie both came pretty early after their mothers had decided an academy was safer for their children. It might have been safer but there always was a threat. I was a child alongside more than half the people sitting in this room. We all had the same itch for freedom.

I Looked a few rows in front of me where Lissa was sitting with Christian. He still hadn't spoken to me but Eddie promised that he talked with Christian earlier and Christian understood. I didn't believe that. How could anyone understand something that even I don't. Kirova was still rambling on about how proud she was. I tried to focus on her words but my hearing kept focusing on the irritating giggling that seemed to echo through my eardrums. My eyes flicked to where I came to see Dimitri sitting next to a new girl. I recognised her deep died purple hair. Julia Wells. Not the brightest girl but her family was loaded, there was an ancient in her vampire who had built an empire. When he was slain, all his possessions were passed over to his family, giving Julia the expensive jewels to accommodate her fake personality. Dimitri had his hand on her waist dangerously close to her ass and was whispering things in her ear causing her to giggle obnoxiously. I tried to keep my focus forward but my eyes continued to wander to them.

"Each one of you is destined for so much potential and it brings me such sadness to think about the fallen who missed out on this opportunity." Kirova's words brought my attention back to her. "There has been much gossip spreading inside the walls of St. Vladimir's and that ends today." I could feel several pair of eyes on me. "It does not matter what did or did not happen. This is the most important series of tests that will determine your future. The situation will be dealt with after the trials and there is to be no more gossiping or fighting at this school." Red eyes burned into me and stung like sunlight on my skin. Eddie reached for my hand and squeezed noticing how tense I was.

My eyes flicked to Dimitri and met his gazing red eyes instantly. We stared at each other and I felt myself being drawn deep inside his eyes. It wasn't compulsion, I was just frozen noticing the details of those eyes that were once filled with so much love and were now spilling over in hatred. He turned away first and went back to Julia.

"When you hear your name called go stand with your group for your first trial." Kirova Instructed ad stepped down for Alberta to take her place. Alberta went through the first list for the compulsion exam. Starting with people whose last names began with A.

"Adison, Henry. Atkinson, Jane. Ashford-"she stopped abruptly. Eddie tensed next to me as she read out Mason's last name. They forgot to take him off the list. Alberta looked up with an apologetic look on her face as she continued on reading through the list of names. Lissa and Mia ended up in that group. Eddie and Christian ended up in second group along with both of Dimitri's giggling girls. I didn't need Alberta to know which group I was in or who was in it with me. Dimitri met my eyes with a hard scowl we both stood and made our way to our group. In our groups we would go off and be assessed. The trials lasted for three weeks. The first week we would work through all the exams in the area we are given. In the second week, each group would rotate to another groups area and take all the trials they have already done. The last week was the most important. Each group would rotate again and take the same tests but on the last day was the field test. On the last day we are to face off against the teachers pretending to be slayers. The younger years would spectate as they have every year. I loved watching the test when I was younger. This was the test I had been preparing for. I was worried for Lissa. She had already lost half of here vampiric abilities. There was no way she could take the trials that would give her a fair score. Thankfully, Adrian had come and talked with Kirova and a bunch of other teachers about the condition. They agreed she should take them along with anyone else but if her score was below her average grade, they would just go off her past exams. It was a good deal but Lissa wasn't too happy. Despite Kirova's warning about gossiping, rumours had already spread about Lissa. Some were mean saying she was the favourite and she is getting the special treatment. Other said that Lissa was nervous and faked this illness to make sure she got a good mark. I wanted to throw some people into the wall when I heard them gossiping about her, but with trials, I couldn't do anything to jeopardise my mark.

Our group made our way over to the hall where desks were set up with different things set up on top. I found my desk and made my way towards it. Beside me was Meredith. She was nice. She was the first girl my age to come to the academy. We were friends but we didn't hang out much. She beamed me an excited smile which I mirrored. I turned to the person on the other side of me and almost flinched to see Dimitri grinning with his red eyes glowing. I turned away from him and looked down at my desk. Four jars sat on the top in each corner of the small desk. Each had one of the four elements in it. Dirt in the first jar, water in the second. A feather in the third and an unlit candle in the fourth. In the middle sat a white plate that hovered above the table. I looked up to the front to see Stan. He was our group leader. Lucky me.

"Welcome to your first exam. This test is focusing on the elements and how well you can control and manipulate them. The task is easy for those of you who have mastered all the elements. The screen up the front will flash with an element and what you have to do with it. Complete each to the best of your ability. The slides will get faster and the elements will be swapping. You have to keep up and make sure you put away an element before starting on another." The task sounded easy enough, at first, now I was starting to worry. Had I mastered every element? Dimitri smirked at me noticing my worry. I pulled my eyes from him and placed my mask on. No. No I would not let him see me weak. I won't let him win.

The test began. The screen flashed with fire. I raised the candle out of the jar with telekinesis. The candle hovered above the already hovering plate and I snapped my fingers lighting the candle. Wax fell like tears down the candle and landed with a hiss on the plate. I noticed some people were a little behind me but were all finished long before the slide changed. Air. I put the candle back unlit and mover to air. following the description on the board, I made the feather fly and bounce around in the air. Next slide. Water. A picture of rainclouds flashed on the screen. I pulled the water out of the jar and watched it dance around in the air like an ocean. This was harder than the others had been. Focusing hard, I pulled the water up evaporating it up and letting it go. A small rainstorm on my desk. Next slide. Earth. The Dirt had seeds in it I didn't notice before. I planted them and focused until shoots formed and a daisy appeared from the earth. Each slide got harder and harder and with the fast pace, it was hard to keep up. The hardest ones were turning water to ice and creating icicles and snow. The tornado was easy until we were told to combine all the elements into the tornado and control them. It was easy to control a tornado but harder when you also have to control the other three elements at the same time to make sure no fire, water or earth escapes.

I put all my focus on swirling tornado on my desk but in the corner of my eye, I noticed Dimitri. He was whistling swirling his finger easily with a perfect tornado on his desk. He didn't even look like he was trying. How did he do that? I felt my grip on the tornado slipping but pulled myself back and focused until the screen turned off and we were free. I released my hold on the elements and carefully returned them to their jars. I looked around. Several students had succeeded but many of them looked pretty bummed as they obviously couldn't hold on and released it spilling water all over them and in one case, set fire to their hair. The Blond girl was crying over her singed extensions that smelt like burnt plastic. A teacher came over with scissors and the girl cried as they cut her long hair till it fell just above her shoulders. I honestly thought it was a better look for her but she didn't seem to agree. The elements test was over and we were free for the rest of the day to study and prepare for tomorrows test even though we didn't know what it was we were being tested on. Dimitri took off and I went to find Lissa. She was in her room with open books surrounding her and scrunched up pieces of paper thrown everywhere. She was usually very neat but when she was stressed she tended to be a little messy. Adrian sat in a chair smirking at me when I entered.

"Hello little Devil." He said. Lissa looked up from speed reading and gave me a small smile before returning to flick though the pages at super speed. "How did you go?" asked Adrian.

"Good. I had the elemental test, god it was hard but I think I did good," I said.

"It was extremely hard for me especially because I was going through the change," said Adrian.

"I was meaning to ask," I started hesitantly. "How did you still manage to pass your trials even through the change?" I asked.

"Once I'd realised what was happening it was too late. I talked to my aunt and told her about the change. She has some influence and once I made my decision to be vampire I was able to take them again. I didn't get a very high mark but I passed and so I was deemed vampire enough."

"What do you do?" I asked.

"I don't have one secure job. I travel mostly. I have found other like me who have helped explain what it is. They taught me how to access my other abilities and now with my Aunts backing, I go to others who are going through the same thing and do my best to help them through it."

"Like Lissa." At the mention of her name, she stopped reading and closed the book with a groan. "Slow down there Liss." I said. As I sat beside her on the bed.

"I can't. I'm going to fail the Vampiric abilities exams but I am going to act the Vampiric History exams." She groaned.

"What did you have today?" I asked her.

"Vampiric council history," she said. "I knew everything but only because of my parents. I need to study Vampiric Law, Vampiric politics, Vampiric monarch and Vampiric arts. Not to mention, I need to know all the ancient vampires." She said picking up the next book and starting to speed read. I snatched the book from her hands and she snapped her head towards me with a furious glare.

"Lissa, you don't need to know all of that. They would never make you learn all the ancient vampires by name. we have studied this for years. You're just psyching yourself out," I told her.

"How do you know they won't?" she asked.

"How do you know they will?" I threw back at her. She sighed and I closed the book on Vampiric law.

"Okay, fine. You're right." She surrendered.

"Well at least we know you can still speed read," I told her with a smile.

"That was the first thing I lost," said Adrian. "Which was a bummer because it was really useful in poker."

"What?" I asked.

"You know, poker with the humans. Shuffling through, you can see all the cards and you know exactly who has what. Easy winnings."

"No wonder you don't need a job," I smirked.

"Hey, looking this good is a full-time occupation," he joked. Lissa groaned again beside me.

"Where's Christian and Eddie?" I asked.

"They went on the track to try and improve Christians speed," Said Lissa. "Apparently strength was brutal even for Eddie and he is pretty strong."

"Not as strong as, Mason," I said solemnly thinking of what happened earlier when Alberta said his name.

"Alright, enough of this," said Adrian standing up suddenly. "Enough with the moping and stress. Can you still shape-shift?" asked Adrian.

"What?" Lissa said, her brow furrowed.

"What can you shift into?" he asked.

"A bat, that's all."

"Perfect," said Adrian. A smile pulled at his lips like everything was going according to plan.

"Care to enlighten us?" I asked.

"We're going out," he said.

"Out?"

"Yeah. You guys need a distraction, something fun. Something to take your mind off the exams, boys, breakups and murders."

"No, I need to study," said Lissa reaching for a book. I swatted her hands away.

"No, he's right. That's exactly what we need. With all that has been going on we have forgotten to just have fun. No more study Liss. Call the boys and Mia, tell them to change and meet on the roof in twenty minutes. I'm going to change," I said. "And Lissa, no cardigans." I warned and sped back to my room.

I opened my wardrobe and my eyes instantly found the dress I had in mind. A short black dress that fit me perfectly like it was made for me. Lissa's parents bought it for me for the after-transformation dance. I hadn't worn it since but tonight was the perfect chance. I changed quickly and slipped into a pair of black platform heels. I tussled my hair and added a thin layer of lip-gloss and mascara before grabbing my purse.

I crept along the wall to the roof above Lissa's room. Adrian stood dressed in the same white button-down shirt but rolled up the sleeves. Lissa wore a deep teal green skaters dress that suited her perfectly. Mia wore a purple dress and had her hair straight instead of their usual doll-like curls. Contacts were a must have in the human world but only when the human could see us perfectly. Under the cover of a clubs flashing lights, we could get away without wearing any. That's why the dark-bloods tend to hunt humans in clubs.

Christian and Eddie approached the group wearing casual jeans and t-shirts. Eddie looked uncertain.

"Eddie, it will be fine. We'll just go for a couple of hours and be back way before dawn. Just don't drink too much and you will be fine." I told him. We all shifted and followed Adrian to a small town not too far away. A que of people lined up at the door as the loud music's beat shook vibrations through the ground. We shifted back in the shadows and walked up to the bouncer ignoring the que. We ignored the shouts and cries of protest from the line and Adrian approached the bouncer.

"Sorry, you have to wait your turn." Said the bouncer. His muscles budged from his arms. He must be a pretty good fighter, but he was still no match for a vampire, or our compulsion. Adrian lifted his head meeting the eyes of the man and instantly pulled him into his trance.

"Hello there, my friends and I are looking for some fun, I'm sure you can make an exception for us." He said. The bounced nodded twice and stepped aside letting us pass. I smirked at Adrian and he bowed gracefully before entering the club. The music blast through the speakers shotting through my ears. The sweet smell of blood hit my nose from the sweaty bodies of humans grinding on the dancefloor. Lissa and Christian went off to the floor. Adrian had already Disappeared and Mia was with Eddie begging him to dance with her. Nothing had happened after the dance. I made my way to the bar and took a seat ordering a Bloody Mary. The bartender asked for my ID and I flashed him a quick compulsion and he nodded walking off to fetch my drink.

"All alone, pretty bird?" said a voice from behind me.

"Not anymore," I said and he laughed before taking the seat beside me. He was good looking with short blond hair that shone with the light's reflection.

"What is a goddess like you doing alone in a club?" he asked.

"I'm not alone," I said. "I came with friends."

"But no boyfriend?" he asked.

"No," I responded. "No boyfriend."

"Good," he said and I shot him a look. "For me, that means I'll have a chance."

"You think you have a chance?" I tried to raise my eyebrow but failed miserably.

"I think I have about a fifty percent chance." He said. The bartender placed my drink in front of me and I reached for my purse. "Allow me," said the stranger. I shot him a smile before reaching into my bag and bringing out the small silver vial. The stranger watched as I opened the vial and poured some of its contents into the red drink turning the colour a deeper crimson.

"What have you got there?" he asked.

"Just something to spice it up a little," I said.

"Not strong enough for you?" he asked. I shrugged.

"Sometimes it just needs a little extra kick." He laughed.

"I'm, Nathan by the way." I nodded. "And you are…" I hesitated for a moment thinking up a fake name.

"Daisy."

"Well, it is very nice to meet you, Daisy." He raised his drink and I met it with a soft clink of the glass.

In one sip, I had almost drowned my entire drink. The warm sensation and bubbly feeling it gave made it hard to hold back. My drink was gone and Nathan still had more than half left. He looked at my empty glass and downed the contents of his drink quickly. He gulped struggling to contain his drink but tried to play it cool. Once he managed to swallow he looked at me with a crooked smile.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked. I looked towards the dancefloor and spotted my friends amongst the crowd. I nodded and pulled myself off the chair. Nathan smiled and took my hand leading me. Lissa spatted me and her smile fell.

 _Really Rose. Another human?_

She asked through my mind. I shook my head.

 _Don't worry. I learnt my lesson. I'm just being nice._

She shot me a look that told me she didn't believe me. I ignored her and danced with Nathan. He pulled me close so our bodies were touching only blocked by the thin layers of clothes we wore. I didn't notice how we had moved until my back was against the wall in a dark corner. His lips were on my neck and his hand started pushing up the skirt of my dress. I grabbed his hand and pushed it away but his hand came back. I pulled away to meet his eyes.

"No. I don't want this." I told him. His expression changed but he did not move away or release me.

"Who would have known an evil creature like you would have morals?" he asked.

"What?" He leant in close and I could feel his breath on my ear.

"I know what you are, _Vampire_." I gasped. He pulled out a stake and held it to my throat.

"Then you know what I'm capable of," I said.

"Yes, I know all your strengths _and_ weaknesses, Rose. Or was it Daisy?" he asked? Panic struck my heart like an arrow. "That's right, your little half-fang boyfriend has not quite lost his slayer edge. He found me and told me everything. He asked me to kill you and told me everything about you. I know how fast and strong you are, that's why I spiked your drink with holy water. You have no strength now and there is nowhere for you to run."

"Dimitri," I started.

"He was a great slayer. Even as a vampire he will go to the ends of the world to make sure all evil dies. There is not a lot that weakens you, Rose. But I know the one thing that does. Dimitri. You love him which makes this all the sweeter. To know he betrayed you. He asked a slayer to kill you so his soul will be free."

"That's not true. Killing me will not turn him back. Nothing can undo the transformation."

"I know that, you know that but Dimitri doesn't need to know. Let him believe what he wants. The only way to be free is death. I will Kill Dimitri and free his soul."

"No," I gasped as his hand came back to my thigh, pushing up the black skirt.

"Don't try to fight it. These are your last moments alive, I wouldn't struggle if I were you. Dimitri told me _everything._ He asked me to kill you but there are no rules keeping me from screwing you first. Does the vampire whore feel pain?" he asked as my skirt was raised completely. The stake still pressed into my neck. I couldn't move, the best I could do was scream.

"Help! Please! Someone help!" I screamed as loud as I could. Nathan just laughed.

"No one is coming to save you. I'll make it quick, you'll soon be the dust beneath my feet," sneered Nathan.

"And you'll be the blood in my veins," said a new voice. Nathan turned revealing Adrian with glowing red eyes filled with hatred. Nathan took his stake off my neck and went to stake Adrian but Adrian saw it and had the upper hand. Nathan missed and stumbled. Adrian grabbed him by the throat and pulled him close before sinking his fangs into Nathan's neck. Nathan screamed but no one heard him. After a couple of seconds Adrian released Nathan dropping him to the floor with a dazed expression off his face. I suddenly came back to life and pulled down my skirt before joining Adrian.

"The endorphins will keep him down for a while." I said. Adrian shook his head.

"It's not enough." Adrian sank down beside Nathan, locking eyes with him. "Remember nothing of what happened here tonight. Forget everything you know about vampire or Rose." Adrian stood again and quickly dashed through the sea of people. I followed him but it was hard. My powers still hadn't restored so I had to run at human speed.

I scanned around the room and saw the back door swinging lightly from a recent exit.

Leaving the building, I went outside to where Adrian was sitting with a cigarette between his fingers. I joined him, staring up at the sky.

"Thanks for saving me back there," I said. Adrian shook his head.

"Don't mention it."

"How much did you hear?" I asked.

"Enough. I know Dimitri told him to kill you but he was going to do much more than that," said Adrian before putting the cigarette to his lips and sucking in a deep breath. He released the smoke and it rose like a cloud in the air.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"I was watching you."

"Where? You disappeared." I said.

"While it was my idea, I do not enjoy partying with humans. I found a spot by myself and watched the scene. I kept a close watch on you."

"I'm grateful you care," I said.

"You have many friends who care for you Little Devil," Said Adrian taking another puff of the cigarette.

"Some friends aren't easy to keep." I shrugged. "They turned against me when they learnt what I did. Easier to turn and point the finger then stay and shield a victim." I said.

"Are you referring to the rumours?" asked Adrian.

"You've heard them then?"

"Word travels fast at St. Vladimir's," he started. "A few girls approached me and warned me to stay away. They obviously didn't know who I am or else they would know my reputation trumps yours."

"It's not true, I have only slept with one person, Dimitri. And that was while we were dating."

"That's the difference between us, Little Devil. Your reputation is based on rumours. Mine is based on facts," he said dropping the cigarette onto the ground and crushing it with his shoe.

"It shouldn't matter. Our lives are our own to live. No one should be able to go spread abound lies about our lives. And even if they are truths, why must anyone know?"

"Because people like to talk," said Adrian.

"They should learn to keep their mouths shut," I said. Adrian laughed lightly.

"I like my reputation. No one ever expects much of me and so I never have to try hard to make anyone proud."

"That sounds easy," I said.

"It's harder than you might think," he said. "For it to work you have to make yourself not care about anyone's opinion of you. I have already failed there because I care about your opinion of me," he said.

"My opinion?" I asked. "Why would you care about that?" I asked.

"Because I like you, Rose. Are you really so blind that you could not see that I care for you?"

"I haven't been focusing," I told him Adrian nodded.

"Because you have been focused on everything that has happened with Dimitri and the trials. I understand and I'm not trying to hurt you or make you feel bad. I just think you deserve to know how I feel," he said. "I don't expect you to come running into my arms, you are still getting over Dimitri and I will give you as much time as you need for that. What are years when you have eternity? Dimitri's betrayal may have caused a bump but I'm willing to wait for you." I didn't know what to say. I hadn't even though about Adrian in that way and now he was telling me he liked me and wanted to be with me. He was gorgeous, but he wasn't Dimitri. I wasn't sure my heart would heal after it shattered, but there was only one way to find out.

"Kiss me," I said.

"What?" Adrian asked.

"I'm not saying yes or no but for now I am asking you to Kiss me." I told him. Adrian looked into my eyes, trying to figure out whether I was serious or not. He raised his hand and cupped my face stroking my cheek with his thumb. His other hand reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. My breath hitched in my throat as Adrian leant forward. I closed my eyes waiting for the feeling of his soft lips on mine. He was so close, I could feel it.

"Not today, Little Devil." He said and pulled away.

"What?" I asked.

"A lot has happened today and I don't want to turn this nightmare into a happy memory. If you ask me again, I will not hesitate. But this means more to me than you know," he said brushing my bottom lip with his thumb.

"Do you want to go back inside?" he asked. I shook my head.

"I need to go back to the academy. I'll talk to Lissa," I said pointing to my head. "And they will leave when they are ready."

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Dimitri and I need to have a little chat," I said. "And I'm still weak from the spiked drink our little slayer friend gave me, so can you help me back?" I asked. Adrian Laughed lightly.

"Anything for you, Little Devil." _Anything besides a kiss._ Adrian and I shifted quickly and flew off into the night. He had to help me a couple of times, when I felt the burn from the holy water not entirely out of my system.


	13. Chapter 13

I woke up the next morning feeling horrible although it had nothing to do with the alcohol from last night. Images and memories flashed through my head and all my emotions ran through me. Another trial today and I was not feeling confident. I pulled myself out of my coffin and walked towards my closet. I had only just started looking when a quiet tap on my door made me freeze. I opened the door, but no one was there. I looked down to see a wooden box and a note sitting on top. It was pretty early in the morning so hardly anyone would be up. Still, I checked before taking the box and sitting it on top of my coffin

I unfolded the note written in neat pretty cursive.

 _'You're lucky I love you. These things are hard to come by now days with more modern jacket styles, but as you said: if anyone could do it, it would be me. Yes, I am that good. You were right, the only way you are going to be able to keep this secret is to give him a story, that is why I found someone who could replicate an ancient's cape. Now your half fang with blend in with the rest of the bloodsuckers. I hope you know that I didn't do this for him. I did it for you and because a deal is a deal. Keep that in mind for when this fails. Even though failure would mean I get you, I hope this doesn't fail for your sake. If the truth ever comes out, I would worry about the punishment you would receive from the high council, especially high council member Tatiana who does not take kindly to thi_ s kind of thing. Stay safe Rosie and good luck with your trials, you are a natural and I'm sure to do well. I'll wait centuries for you.'

Caleb. I had actually forgotten about our deal. Did this count as failure seeing and only a few people know the truth and we haven't been called forward to the council yet? I decided if I had failed, Caleb would have sent me an entirely different note having been the first one to find out. I ripped open the box and pulled out the gorgeous cape. Caleb was right, it did look exactly like and ancient clan style cape. The fabric was soft despite it being dried bat skin and vampire blood. The inside was lined with traditional crimson silk that looked like spilled blood against the black. A chain dangled from the collar which was sticking up in a traditional Dracula style. It would have been funny if it hadn't been exactly what the ancients had worn in the old times. I thought about what I should do. Dimitri wasn't speaking to me and after what I discovered last night, I wondered if I should help him at all. He tossed me to the slayers like bait on a fish hook. I should be mad, but I wasn't. In truth, I was heartbroken.

I still loved him despite everything. I hoped maybe one day, Dimitri would forgive me, and we could move on. But now I knew that was impossible. The best thing I could do was give him the stuff and let him fend for himself. He didn't need me, and I couldn't let him drag me down. I pulled on a pair of black workout tights and a navy active singlet. He was still only next door and the next trial still wasn't for an hour, so I didn't worry about shoes. When I opened the door, I checked the hall to make sure it was clear before I walked out and knocked loudly on Dimitri's door. I waited for a few moments before the door opened revealing a tall red head in a pink silk slip. I recognized her from the year below and shot a glare at Dimitri. He ignored me, leaning down to give the supermodel a deep kiss before he pulled away.

"I'll see you later," I rolled my eyes. The girl sighed and walked away adding more sway to her hips than necessary. Dimitri turned his attention to me. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Can I come in?" I asked clenching the box in my arms.

"Once wasn't enough for you? Sorry but I don't sleep with evil lying bitches anymore," he began to close the door, but I shoved him, and he stumbled back. I walked in and closed the door behind me, locking it. "Hey, did you not hear me? I'm. Not. Inter-" he started before I cut him off.

"I heard you and that's not why I'm here." A confused expression spread over his face. I shoved the box in his arms. "Here's the Cape and other things from Caleb. They were at my door this morning. You'll need them now." I said.

"Now that I am an evil creature of the night," Dimitri finished as he took off the lid. I sighed in frustration and turned to leave when he stopped me.

"Why?" he asked.

"What?"

"Why help me even after we broke up, even though you know I hate you. Why?"

"Because it is my fault you are a vampire and I will help you survive it whether you want my help of not." I said. "I was tempted not to though. I was tempted to just set the box on fire and let you struggle on your own. You clearly want nothing to do with me. That was evident in the slayer who had tried to stake me last night. He told me you asked him to do it." Dimitri looked up from the box and held the cape in one hand. "Don't try to deny it." I said.

"I won't." He said not even looking ashamed or guilty. "Yes, it is true, I asked an old slayer friend of mine to find you and stake you."

"You are a vampire now Dimitri, whether you can accept that or not does not change what you are. You are no longer a slayer, you are a vampire and they are the enemy. What do you think they would do if they found you? Spare you because you were one of them? No. they would stake you in cold blood like they do to all of our kind. Getting them to kill me is allowing them to kill their own kind." Dimitri's eyes dropped and for a minute I though he was regretful at what he had done. "Why would you do this? Just as revenge to me? Or to keep the slayer in you alive?"

"That's not why I did it!" Dimitri yelled dropping the box which smashed to pieces upon impact. I kept my face blank with no reactions as I stared him down waiting for him to continue. "Ever since I first awakened, I have been having flashes of images. I could see myself through the eyes of another and feel the emotions of the person. At first, I thought it was just day dreams but that changed the day we were together. I realized It wasn't just daydreams. I was seeing myself through your eyes. I saw everything. Your talk with Lissa. I didn't believe what I was told until the truth was confirmed when I saw you and Lissa talking about it." He said.

"You were inside my head?" I asked.

"Yes. Since then it has only gotten worse and worse. Do you know how it feels to have to go inside the head of a person you hate? To have to feel and see everything they do and know that the pain they feel is the pain you caused them? It was driving me crazy. I have learnt to control it a little and can even make it happen on my own sometimes, but I still get pulled in and I cannot stop it. I saw you were going out and I thought of that as my opportunity to stop it once and for all. I told him where you were and what you looked like and begged him to put an end to you as a favour to me to free my soul from yours. I just wanted to be free of you."

"That's how you did so well in the test. You were in my head copying what I did. I taught you and you never did it as well as you did then." I said. Dimitri nodded.

"It's more than that. It's like your power is flowing into me and I hardly need to try."

"What about the girls?" I asked.

"They are what keep me grounded and remind me that I am me and not you. But they are also a distraction." He said taking a step towards me almost closing the gap between us.

"Distraction from what?" I asked taking a deep breath to steady myself for his next words.

"To distract me from loving you. I know I shouldn't and maybe the reason I am feeling this is because of your feelings for me passed through me. I still love you despite everything you have done and the truths I have now uncovered." I sucked in a sharp breath. This is what I had hoped to hear but now I couldn't handle it as I knew what he would say next would break me. "But it doesn't matter because I refuse to let myself love you. I cannot forgive, and I will not forget." I nodded and turned away from Dimitri's eyes as I swallowed back the tears.

"Well, Dimitri. I wish you luck on your trial. Not that you need any luck. You have everything you need so there will not be any need for my help. One more thing. If you ever try to get one of your old friends to kill me, I will slash their throat, drain their blood and decorate your room with their mutilated remains. This is the last warning. Don't mess with Evil lying bitches." I said as I pulled the door open with my magic and used a gust of wind to help me slam it shut behind me.

I didn't have long to get ready, as I had to head down to the feeders for a quick bite before the next trial began. I made it to my allocated room just as the others were taking their places. I found my spot once again next to Dimitri. The mighty being looking down on the world must really hate me. This test focused on the balance of elements. Again, I handled it well and judging by the looks Dimitri was shooting me, he was enjoying the cheat sheet that came from my mind. The trial was finished for the day and we all left. I stormed out hoping to get as far away from Dimitri as Possible. He barged past me, purposely knocking into my side. It was then I decided to test this bond we had.

 _"Stop that,"_ I commanded in my mind. Dimitri turned around and smirked.

 _"Make me,"_ He mouthed and ran off. He had joined a new group, or rather, he was sought out and the group was formed around him. Full of other guys who loved using and abusing the girls of this school. I had been chased by the majority of them and turned them all down. Dimitri was the only guy to get further than a flirty conversion or make out, and that made him a god in their eyes and the devil in mine. It's not like I was a saint or anything and I wasn't waiting till marriage or anything, I just didn't like the guys here and I didn't want my virginity to be a prize.

That's why Dimitri was perfect. He was a guy that I actually liked and liked me in return. He didn't care about status. I told him some of my most sacred secrets and in return he shared his. He was the one and I knew it but then everything turned upside down and now he is just that same as the others. This was going to be a long week.

The rest of the week was long. It was one trial after another and no fun in-between, just studying. After all the excitement at the club, I didn't want to go back for a while. I put all my energy and focus into the trials that lay ahead. Eddie, Lissa and Christian were all there for company. Adrian had kept his distance and I understood why. After what happened that night at the club and my desperate begging for him to kiss me, I was grateful for the distance between us. My life was complicated enough, and I didn't need him getting caught up in it. It was the last day of the first week. I woke up very early and ran out onto the track to do some laps as an attempt to calm my nerves. I shouldn't be nervous.

This elemental trail was probably the one I was most prepared for. My stone-cold heart was pounding with each second that went past until it was time and I stood ready for the trial. Each of us sat outside the class room waiting to be called. Time passed, and I barely noticed as each student went in and came out. Dimitri stood against the wall with his band of it him only for a moment only to be met with his smug look. So far, he had done well. Way better than a half-fang should be and even better than some of the full-blooded Vampires here. That was all thanks to me.

I hadn't done it on purpose, but I had been helping him, sharing my power and basically instructing him through the bond we shared. Like the other trials, he would pass this one without any problems all thanks to me. I can't turn it off and if I'm honest, I didn't want to. I didn't want him to fail, I had trained him and prepared him, but this was even better. With this, Dimitri could not fail, and he would be safe. After everything that has happened, I still love him, and I will protect him. He is my half-fang. My responsibility. The door opened, and Eddie walked out with a smile on his face. I smiled at him, but my smile fell as the teacher called out the next name.

"Dimitri Belikov," my heart fell, and I turned to Dimitri. It was clear from his expression he was shocked to. There wasn't a particular order we were called but the teachers seemed to be going off the seating order. Dimitri was meant to go after me. I haven't done it yet and Dimitri didn't know what was in store. Dimitri walked in and Eddie came to greet me.

"It was so good. I think I got really good. Don't worry, Rose. You've got this." I shot him a smile.

"Thanks Eddie, I think I am up next so I'm going to go. I'll see you later." He nodded and moved out the room. I moved closer to the door and waited. Dimitri said he was able to look inside my head. Maybe it was possible for me to go in his. I tried but it was no use all I saw was darkness.

 _'ROSE HELP!'_ Cried a voice in my head. Dimitri's voice.

 _'Dimitri?'_

 _'Rose what do I do?'_ he asked. The walls of the class rooms were built to prevent telepathy, so students couldn't cheat during tests, but it did not prevent Dimitri from communicating with me through the bond. This was how I could help him.

 _'I can't go into your head, I can't see what is going on,'_ I told him.

 _'They have trapped me in rings of slayer traps. I have to get out of here.'_

 _'Tell me what the first layer is,' I told him._

 _'I'm in a cage with stakes pointing inwards, I tried to touch one, but it burnt me.'_

 _'The tips are dipped in holy water.'_ It was the same every test since the transformation. _'use air magic to dry the water and then use fire magic to melt the bars.'_ I waited until Dimitri's voice came back.

 _'Done,'_ he said. _'The next layer is just a ring of dust.'_ He said. Dust? I gasped.

 _'That's not dust, it's church ashes. They burn more than holy water. Dimitri, you have to use fire magic to set them on fire.'_

 _'They are already ashes, Rose I don't think they can get any more burnt,'_ he protested.

 _'Trust me,'_ I said. It was silent again. This was harder. I only knew how to do this from Alberta. She told me of a time when vampires would burn down churches to get the people hiding inside. They believed we couldn't enter holy ground and they were right. But the hell fire we control has the power to destroy holy objects and allowed us to walk the holy ashes.

 _'It worked,'_ said Dimitri. He sounded surprised.

 _'Did you ever doubt me?'_ I didn't get an answer.

 _'Only one more, I'm surrounded by some kind of plant…Garlic?'_ I repressed a gasp. Yes, garlic was lethal to us, but teachers had used garlic in their lessons, we were just taught to avoid it. This would be tricky for those without parents or mentors and haven't been out in the real world. Luckily, I knew what to do.

 _'Dimitri, you need-'_

 _'Yeah, I know,'_ he said, cutting me off. _'I set them on fire.'_ Alarm bells went off in my head.

 _'No! Stop! Whatever you do, do not set them on fire.'_

 _'Why? What's wrong?'_ he asked.

 _'Setting them on fire creates a garlic gas. It will knock you on your ass quicker than a pint of alcoholics blood.'_

 _'So, what do I do?'_

 _'Use earth magic to shrivel them into compost. That's all and then you are done.'_ He followed my instructions and exited the room a minute later. He shot me a look with the hit of a smile that told me, at least for now, we had a truce. The woman called me next and I went in confidently knowing exactly what to do. Was it cheating if you already passed the test through the mind of another? I didn't care. The day was done, and I head to Lissa's room where I found Christian sitting with Lissa, speaking with a visitor. Tasha. They turned to me and smiled when I entered.

"Hey, how did the trial go?" asked Lissa.

"It was great." Tasha stood and met me in a hug.

"Nice to see you again, Rose," she said.

"You too. What are you doing here?"

"Christian asked me to come help him for his elemental trials next week."

"Christian doesn't need help with elemental, he's almost as good as me."

"Maybe I was just holding back to make you think you were better," said Christian.

"Maybe, but I doubt it. Don't try to compete with my awesomeness, Ozera, you will lose."

"I am also here for Lissa. The school called me and told me what happened. I am going to be her marker for her elemental. It will just be on the things she can do with her limited abilities and the rest will come from her previous outstanding marks. Her elemental is last but when Christian rang, I decided to come anyway. Maybe I give her some tips while I'm working with Christian." I smiled gratefully. Tasha's visit was a blessing in disguise. That night, we went out to a small twenty-four-hour diner close to the school. For us vampires, it was dinner time, but It was early morning for the humans and so the breakfast menu was the only thing on offer. I didn't mind. Who doesn't want waffles and pancakes for dinner. I was hungry even though I had my blood before the trial. This hunger was different. It was the hunger for the taste of sweetness and so when my 'Dinner' came, I couldn't hold myself back. Chocolate syrup was the real love of my life.

"Calm down, Rosie, you'll give yourself a tummy ache," said Christian mockingly. I paused only momentarily to glare at him before I dug back in. Eddie and Mia had joined us, and I had noticed they were sitting very close. Questions ran through my mind but disappeared as my deluxe hot chocolate was placed in front of me. The waitress shot me a glare as she saw what I was eating and how I looked. It wasn't my fault my vampiric genetics hyped up my metabolism so I either needed more sugar or more blood and blood was not an option. We packed up and left as dawn started rising, turning the sky a dusty rose. The academy gates close as curfew grew near. I thought about the note I had received today and the promise I made to Caleb. My thoughts were broken by a sharp elbow to the ribs. I turned to see Tasha with wide eyes and dropped jaw staring right at… _Dimitri._

"He looks exactly like the young human you went on a date with," she said. I opened my mouth with an excuse ready on my lips when Christian but in.

"He is." Tasha turned to me with a question burning in her eyes. I shook my head and mouthed _'later.'_ Mia and Eddie had gone off to do their own thing while the rest of us went back to Lissa's room where I retold the story I knew from heart.

"Rose, how could you."

"I couldn't kill him. Despite what he did, I couldn't and, but I was so angry that I almost did, and he would have died if I just left him there. I saved him to give him another chance at life. I didn't know if he would change of if he would become a dark-blood like most of them do. He didn't and so I brought him back to a place that would teach him to be a vampire. I never wanted to fall in love with him and I never expected him to find out." I explained.

"How is he passing his exams?" Tasha asked.

"He is different to other Half-Fangs. He has all the abilities of a True-Blood even elemental magic."

"that is impossible," said Tasha.

"It's true," said Lissa. "I have seen it."

"I don't understand it either. Maybe some Half-Fangs have more abilities than we thought." Tasha shook her head.

"I'd like to meet him and work with him to see what he can do."

"He hasn't been on speaking terms with any of us since he found out." Said Lissa timidly.

"I'll go alone. Don't worry, I won't share with the High Council. I just want to know what he can do." She left the room and I followed quickly behind her.

"Hey, Tasha, wait."

"What's up?" she asked.

"This is all my fault. I was weak, and I know that. If the Hight Council does become aware, please promise me that you will stand up for him. Dimitri is not at fault in all this and I take full responsibility for my actions." She smiled.

"I can't promise they will listen to me, but I promise I will stand up for both of you."

"Thank you." I gave her one last hug before we parted ways and I went to my room.


	14. Chapter 14

Monday came quickly and before I knew it, the next week of trials had arrived. First up, Hypnosis. Even though Lissa had lost many abilities, she still worked with me as she was the strongest with compulsion. I didn't exactly need the help, but it made Lissa happy to be needed and I was happy to make her happy. The test was a breeze. It was just like the other tests.

Dimitri didn't look or speak to me, but I knew he did good. Maybe Tasha was a good teacher, or maybe he was still using me, I couldn't tell. My lips still buzzed with the lingering feeling of his kiss, but I didn't let it distract me. I was not worried for that trial. What really had me nervous was the trail on Friday, shapeshifting. Of course, I had since mastered it with the help of Lissa and had become quite good, but I was still nervous for the exam as I knew it would be harder than any of the other tests. Tuesday was another easy test of telepathy. Wednesday was telekinesis and Thursday was density shifting. Each one I passed leading up to the hardest and most important for becoming a Night-rider, Shapeshifting.

This one was done outside of a class room and in the very woods I had turned Dimitri in. A trial was set by the teachers in advance with obstacles and traps awaiting us at every turn. One by one each student went and each one emerged with some kind of burn or other injury on them.

Dimitri and I hadn't worked on Shapeshifting much, except for the bat transformation, but he came out with nothing more than a torn shirt and a couple scratches.

It was my turn. I started as a wolf, running through the forest, my claws digging into the damp soil of the forest floor. Ash clung to my paws tuning my dark fur more ebony. The smell of smoke and fire filled my nostrils despite the appearance of its lush green. I saw the first trap before I reached it, a wall of UV lasers. I had felt the sting of its deadly rays before and knew that there was only one way I was going to be able to get out. I suspected not many people managed to pass this test, but I made sure I would not be one of them.

I shrunk down until I was a spider. The eight legs felt weird, but I climbed my way over the small hard to see lasers and shifted into a snake. The transformation had cost me time, but I would make up for it. The next trap was a dead end at an open cliff face. I slithered off the side and quickly shifted into an eagle. Now it was time to make up for some lost time. The waterfall below me looked beautiful and I couldn't help but stare at it as I flew over. I landed and shifted into a horse. It was still the hardest and took a lot of control and focus for me, but I did it quicker than I ever had before. I rode off as fast as my legs could carry me. I would definitely need this weekend to help my legs recover.

Another obstacle, a solid metal wall. It caught me by surprise, but I leap out and sored over the top. My leg was hanging a little low and got hit. I crashed to the ground and transformed back. I cried out as my hands grabbed my ankle. It had to be broken or at least sprained. I touched it and cried out again. Yup, definitely broken. It didn't matter. My ankle would heal but I needed to make it over the finish line.

Only one more trial, sadly that meant no more land animals to transform for now. I got up on my good foot and shifted into a bat. I zoomed through the forest, weaving my way through the trees. The last trap approached me this time. A teacher with a stake. They saw me the same time I saw them.

As they brought the fake stake down, I dogged spinning around them until I was behind them. I transformed back to my original state and 'Bit' them. My ankle was already better, only sprained now. Thank Satan for Vampiric healing.

I was in the final stretch now. I had a desire to finish with a bang and show off a little to the others. With all my strength and focus I willed myself into Panther and sprinted towards the finish line with a newfound sense of determination. I crossed, and my heart swelled at the relief. I shifted back and would have collapsed if Eddie wasn't there ready to catch me. He steadied me and handed me a blood bag which I took gratefully and drank greedily from.

"A Panther, Rose? Seriously, where did you learn how to do that?"

"Practice," I said between pants. It wasn't technically a lie as I had been working my way into lioness and cheetah. It hadn't worked so well when I tried but I guess this time I really was determined. Alberta approached me, and I tried to walk towards her but the pain in my ankle came flaring back. Running on all fours wouldn't have helped the healing process much. Eddie was there to help with Alberta.

"Congratulations, Rose. You passed every test and finished with the fastest time on record despite the injury. You also had the most transformations ever seen in one trial," she said giving me a smug look.

"I wanted to go out with a bang," I said shrugging.

"You certainly did but I don't think it helped your foot. Take her to the infirmary, Castile. Make sure she gets some more blood. She looks a little too pale." Eddie obeyed and supported me as I limped across campus.

"Thanks but I could just fly there," I said.

"You have done enough shifting for one day. Any more and I'm sure you would pass out before you made it to the doctor." The dizzy spell that followed only proved his point. We reached the infirmary and I was laid down on one of the pristine white hospital beds. Black spots started dancing across my vision as the ringing noise in my ears grew louder. The room was spinning more than it did when I was drunk. Someone was trying to talk to my, but I couldn't make out any words. I was on the brink of darkness until I smelt it. The familiar salty, sweet metallic warm liquid. Like a shark, my eyes grew wide with hunger and the room stopped spinning as I sat up fast and dug my fangs into the willing neck of a feeder. Quickly she was ripped away from my grip. I hissed at the intrusion but forgot all about it as another feeder replaced the previous one. This one was young. I could feel it as I took his strength and energy and put it inside myself. I pulled back at last with blood running down my chin. The feeder was alive, but his heart beat was slow. They took him away and I laid back. Eddie came to my side and handed me a towel.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"She's fine," someone said before I could open my mouth. "which is surprising with the amount of energy you had used up." I turned to see Alberta. The trial must have ended.

"I feel much better now," I said.

"that's because you nearly drained two feeders," said the doctor as she entered the room. "We had to snatch her away or you would have drained her dry."

"Sorry, I got a little carried away."

"Well you are a fighter, I'll give you that. And a survivor. Most vamps wouldn't have made it. Looks like we have an extraordinary future Night-rider here." She gave me a knowing smile as I shot her a surprised look. Nothing stays buried at St Vladimir's. I was cleared, and Eddie helped me as I walked out. It wasn't necessary, but it felt nice to have him supporting me. I was looking forward to the weekend. Next week was my week. Yes, I had completed every task easily but the next one was going to be mine.

It was the physical trials. Strength, speed, sparing, climbing and my favourite, hunting. I used to be really good friends with the seniors, when Lissa's brother, Andre, was still alive. They told me all about the trials. Hunting was the best. They set free several animals and you have to catch them and drain them before they get outside of the barrier. That was only the begging. The last week is the individual test, where each of us fights while the rest of the school watches. Our job is to protect whoever is selected for us and fight off any threats while making sure we get across the finish line. We have to fight teachers, animals and even other students. I was so looking forward to being able to kick the arses of some of the people at this place without getting in trouble for once. After that it's graduation and then, freedom. When I was younger, I never wanted to leave but now, I just can't wait. Freedom is so close I can taste it. Eddie and I walked, we didn't know where we were going, we just walked in a comfortable silence.

"You don't have to walk me, I have a clean bill of health," I said.

"I know, I'm just being nice."

"You're always nice."

"That's not a complement for a vampire." I laughed.

"No, you're right." We reached my door a moment later. Eddie stayed with me as I unlocked my door and even after, he didn't leave. When I turned to him with a questioning look, he shook his head and gave me a small smile.

"You really were fantastic today, Rose." I smiled back. "Mason would have been proud of you." My smile dropped. Before I could say anything, Eddie turned and retreated down the hall way, leaving me stunned frozen at my door.

I slept for most of Saturday, only exiting my room once for a trip to the feeders. After the fill I had had yesterday I wasn't very hungry but with another week of trials approaching, I needed to keep my strength up. On the way back to my room, I snagged a couple of brownies. Food may not be necessary, but it is delicious. The brownies here were amazing. Dark chocolate that melted in your mouth and oozed caramel with every bite.

I dug into one quickly and by the time I reached my room, I was already onto my second. I was about to take another bite when I opened my door and found a dark figure standing staring out my window. Black tailored pinstripe suit that fit like a glove. The gorgeous outfit should clash with the honey brown mop of sexily messy hair but on Adrian, it seemed to work well. He turned and gave me that familiar play boy smirk that seemed to both annoy and arouse me at the same time.

"Hey Little Devil, long time no see." I broke out of my trance and walked towards him.

"Adrian, where have you been?" I asked. Adrian sighed, his shoulders slumping as if he were relieved.

"I thought you'd be angry with me," he said.

"Angry? Why?"

"Because I took off, leaving you after that night." I looked down. I wasn't angry at all. I was just embarrassed and ashamed of my behaviour. I was just angry at Dimitri and even that has died down now.

"No, I wasn't angry. Where did you go?"

"I had to see my aunt."

"Your aunt" I asked.

"Technically she is my great, great aunt but she's the only aunt I have left so she's must my aunt and I'm my favourite nephew."

"Why did you go see her?"

"She's one of the head vampires on the vampiric high council. She wanted an update on Lissa before she agreed to let me stay and help her."

"Oh, so she agreed?" I asked. Adrian nodded. "That's great." I exclaimed.

"Don't get too excited little Devil, I had to give her all the details of my experience which meant revealing your secret. I'm sorry, Rose. I didn't want to but under compulsion, I couldn't hold my tongue." He said as he grabbed my hand and brushed his thumb over my hand in a calming way. His hands were so soft compared to my dry, cut and calloused palms.

"It's okay," I said. "I knew it couldn't stay secret forever with the amount of people who know. I was just hoping it wouldn't be until after graduation."

"I know and that's why I made her promise to not do anything until you visit the court after graduation."

"She agreed?" I asked.

"With a little persuasion," he said winking. I rolled my eyes. "She agrees that it would be better for everyone and you'll be eighteen, so you won't need a parent or guardian to be with you." I hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, Adrian."

"It's no problem. How were the trials? I heard rumour that you dominated the shapeshifting trial yesterday."

"Where did you hear that?"

"It's going around the school."

"Hmmm" I hummed trying to raise an eyebrow.

"Fine, Eddie may have mentioned it." I sighed.

"It wasn't that good, I was close to death when it was done."

"Anyone else would have died. It was amazing, Rose." I smiled looking up and meeting his red ringed green eyes. I realised how close we were and If I could feel temperature, I'm sure the air would be hot with tension. Adrian stepped back first, and I moved away as well.

"Rose, do you remember that night? What you said to me?" how could I forget?

"it's a little fuzzy, but the majority, yes."

"Do you still want that?" he asked.

"I do," I answered honestly. He smiled and moved closer, but I moved my finger against his lips. "But I don't think it's a good idea."

"Why not?" he asked.

"With everything going on, I don't think I can pour myself into a full relationship. I just need to focus on the trials, graduation and what comes next before I even consider dating again." Adrian smiled and looked down.

"Of course, you're right. Focus on what is most important." He raised his eyes and looked deep into mine. "But a kiss can't hurt." He moved in and I wanted to protest but no words came to my lips. Our lips touched and noting could stop me. I kissed him back with just as much passion. His soft warm lips caressed mine in a fiery dance. I let out a sigh as he let go and when I opened my eyes and gasped. Adrian was gone and in his place was Dimitri.

"Rose, what's wrong?" I blinked, and Dimitri was gone. Adrian stood before me with concern swimming in his eyes.

"Nothing," I lied. "I'm just a little overwhelmed, I think." Adrian smiled and stepped towards me. He kissed my forehead.

"Don't overthink this little Devil. We have eternity to figure things out. I won't do that again unless you ask me too." I smiled, and he released me. He turned back one last time before exiting my room. When the door closed, I let out a breath of relief. The kiss was nice, better than nice, but I couldn't help feeling that something wasn't right. I couldn't stop thinking of Dimitri. Of course, it was going to be different, they are two different people after all, but it was more than that. My heart wasn't in it. My stomach twisted, and I felt the need to throw up but I kept it down.

Dimitri was the past, I would get over him and I will move on, but it might take longer than I thought. Through the tinted glass, I could see the sun was just starting to rise. I needed to clear my head. I changed quickly and made my way to the gym. I needed a good workout to help take my mind off Dimitri and Adrian. Turns out, fate has other ideas. I walked in to find Dimitri with Tasha. They were working on the punching bag. Neither seemed to notice my entrance. I considered leaving but Tasha called out to me before I could.

"Hey, Rose," she called out waving and smiling enthusiastically. I waved back and moved over to the other side, far away from them.

"Nice job, Dimka. Really good technique." I quickly did my stretches, trying my best not to eavesdrop but it is really hard with vampiric hearing.

"Excellent, you'll pass with flying colours. Good work today. I'm sorry but it's getting late and I promised I would work with him before curfew," said Tasha.

"It's fine Tasha, go. I'm just gonna stay for a little bit longer anyway." Said Dimitri. I heard her footsteps as she approached. She gave me a quick wave and a smile as she walked by.

I finished stretching and made my way over to the punching bag furthest away from Dimitri.

"We aren't enemies anymore, right?" he asked as I taped my hands. My slips stretched into a small smile, but I didn't look at him.

"That depends," I said simply.

"On what?" he asked. I swung my fist and turned my head to him.

"On what mood you are in today," I said with a smirk. I turned away. He started to approach me.

"I may have been a little unfair to you, but I am grateful for your help."

"Looks like you didn't need it after all. You're doing great on your own thanks to Tasha's mentoring."

"Yeah she has been really great." I didn't respond. "Look, I just wanted to say that I have moved past my hating stage and I want us to be friends, if not friends than at least acquaintances, civil acquaintances." I couldn't help my smile. I turned looking into his eyes and decided the bitchy wall I put up needed to be knocked down and I needed to be honest.

"Civil acquaintances does sound nice, but friends is even better," I said. He smiled.

"Great, now do you want to try to hit something that can fight back?" I smiled again and nodded. We made our way over to the mat and got into our fighting stances. The fight was fairer than I expected. He had definitely gotten better and was ready for the physical trials next week. I won in the end but only just. I stretched my hand out to help Dimitri off the mat. He gave me a questioning look as he grabbed my hand. I was about to help him up but before I knew it, I was pulled down to the ground and Dimitri was above me pinning me to the mat. I should have seen it coming but it took me completely by surprise. I tried to fight my way out of his grasp and Dimitri started laughing. His smile and laugh intoxicated me and I was unable to fight. Dimitri looked down at me with that beautiful smile on his face.

"Rule number one: don't let your guard down until your enemy has surrendered. Let that be a lesson to you, Roza." I gasped. Dimitri's eyes widened, he hadn't meant to say that. That name still did so many things to me. He didn't move. He stayed on top of me staring directly into my eyes as I did his. We could have been there for hours, day, years before he pulled himself off of me and helped me up. A burning sensation tingled over me as we touched. Even when I was standing, he didn't let go of my hand and I didn't want him to. Eventually we had to let go. I turned to the door and back to Dimitri.

"I should go." I said. "The next week of trials is coming and I should get some rest."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Together we walked, not touching but close enough that I could feel the heat radiating despite our stone-cold bodies. He walked me to my bag and we walked out together, only paring ways when we needed to.

"See you at the trials," he said.

"See you then," I responded with a small smile and we split off into our own rooms. When the door closed I slid down the back of it and held my knees to my chest. I was doomed...


	15. AU- SORRY FOR THE WAIT

Thank you to everyone who has stayed waiting patiently for me to finish my stories. I am in my final year at High School at the moment which as many of you would know is a hectic year full of stress that does not give you many opportunities to do anything besides school work. Sadly, this will mean updates will be very slow over the next few months which sucks as while I'm not writing, new story ideas are popping in my head. Don't worry, I promise to at least finish my 'The Wrong Alchemist' Series before I begin on anything new. Please stick with me I know I have been a real pain with my slow updates but i hope this will sustain you until I am able to continue completely dedicated to creating a satisfying and extremely dramatic ending. I am not abandoning you I promise.

-VAlover10


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